Delivery Platform Research Articles

Proteomic Barcoding Platform for Macromolecular Screening and Delivery.

Engineered macromolecules offer compelling means for the therapy of conventionally undruggable interactions in human disease. However, their efficacy is limited by barriers to tissue and intracellular delivery. Inspired by recent advances in molecular barcoding and evolution, we developed BarcodeBabel, a generalized method for the design of libraries of peptide barcodes suitable for high-throughput mass spectrometry proteomics. Combined with PeptideBabel, a Monte Carlo sampling algorithm for the design of peptides with evolvable physicochemical properties and sequence complexity, we developed a barcoded library of cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) with distinct physicochemical features. Using quantitative targeted mass spectrometry, we identified CPPS with improved nuclear and cytoplasmic delivery exceeding hundreds of millions of molecules per human cell while maintaining minimal membrane disruption and negligible toxicity in vitro. These studies provide a proof of concept for peptide barcoding as a homogeneous high-throughput method for macromolecular screening and delivery. BarcodeBabel and PeptideBabel are available open-source from https://github.com/kentsisresearchgroup/.

Fluorinated Chitosan‐Mediated Transepithelial Delivery of Intravesical Dual‐Drug Immunotherapeutic for Bladder Cancer Therapy

AbstractIntravesical instillation‐based immunotherapy for bladder‐preservation of bladder cancer (BCa) treatment has not been explored. In the current study, two irrigated nano‐formulations of immunological adjuvant‐fluorinated chitosan (FCS) and therapeutic antibody‐FCS are developed for synergistic immunotherapy against BCa. In this system, FCS is employed as a transepithelial carrier to assemble with bovine serum albumin (BSA)‐flubendazole (FBZ) complex and anti‐PD‐1 (αPD‐1) respectively, to facilitate efficient transepithelial delivery of intravesical FBZ‐BSA and αPD‐1 though transiently regulating the distribution of tight junction proteins on bladder epithelium. In addition, the FBZ–BSA complex exhibits tumor microenvironment‐responsive charge reversal and BSA carrier‐broken effects to drive tumor‐targeted dissociation and drug release of FBZ–BSA/FCS. Moreover, FBZ not only promotes apoptosis and inhibits glycolysis in cancer cells but also displays adjuvant properties to activate potent immune responses through IL‐12/IFN‐γ pathway. Interestingly, combined perfusion of FBZ–BSA/FCS and αPD‐1/FCS nano‐formulations can significantly activate the tumor immune microenvironment, especially CD8+ T cell infiltration and αPD‐1 sensitivity, and finally remarkably inhibit tumor growth in the mouse orthotopic BCa model. Thus, this study presents a novel intravesical delivery platform for ICB antibodies and a smart adjuvant system to achieve potent synergy immunotherapy, which is promising for bladder‐preserving treatment against BCa.

Magnetically Guided Adeno-Associated Virus Delivery for the Spatially Targeted Transduction of Retina in Eyes.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are intensively explored for gene therapies in general and have found promising applications for treating retina diseases. However, controlling the specificity (tropism) and delivery of AAVs to selected layers, cell types, and areas of the retina is a major challenge to further develop retinal gene therapies. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) provide effective delivery platforms to magnetically guide therapeutics to target cells. Yet, how MNPs can deliver AAVs to transfect particular retina layers and cells remains elusive. Here, it is demonstrated that MNPs can be used to transport different AAVs through the retina and to modulate the selective transduction of specific retinal layers or photoreceptor cells in ex vivo porcine explants and whole eyes. Thereby, transduction is triggered by bringing the viruses in close proximity to the target cell layer and by controlling their interaction time. It is shown that this magnetically guided approach to transport AAVs to selected areas and layers of the retina does not require the cell-specific optimization of the AAV tropism. It is anticipated that the new approach to control the delivery of AAVs and to selectively transduce cellular systems can be applied to many other tissues or organs to selectively deliver genes of interest.

Advances in Drug Delivery Systems

Drug delivery systems have undergone remarkable advancements in recent years, revolutionizing the way therapeutic agents are administered and enhancing their efficacy and safety profiles. This review explores the latest developments in drug delivery technologies, including biodegradable polymers, nanocarriers, and smart delivery systems responsive to specific physiological conditions. Nanotechnology-based delivery platforms, such as liposomes, dendrimers, and polymeric nanoparticles, have demonstrated impressive potential in improving drug targeting, bioavailability, reducing adverse effects, and facilitating controlled release. The increasing use of biodegradable polymers like poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) enables localized and sustained drug delivery. Smart delivery systems employing stimuli-responsive materials enable drug release triggered by environmental cues like pH, temperature, and enzyme activity. Furthermore, the integration of personalized medicine and advanced drug delivery technologies is enabling more efficient and tailored therapeutic approaches. This review highlights the prevailing trends, challenges, and future prospects in drug delivery systems, emphasizing their pivotal role in advancing next-generation therapies

Modeling of Magnetic Scaffolds as Drug Delivery Platforms for Tissue Engineering and Cancer Therapy.

Magnetic scaffolds (MagSs) are magneto-responsive devices obtained by the combination of traditional biomaterials (e.g., polymers, bioceramics, and bioglasses) and magnetic nanoparticles. This work analyzes the literature about MagSs used as drug delivery systems for tissue repair and cancer treatment. These devices can be used as innovative drugs and/or biomolecules delivery systems. Through the application of a static or dynamic stimulus, MagSs can trigger drug release in a controlled and remote way. However, most of MagSs used as drug delivery systems are not optimized and properly modeled, causing a local inhomogeneous distribution of the drug's concentration and burst release. Few physical-mathematical models have been presented to study and analyze different MagSs, with the lack of a systematic vision. In this work, we propose a modeling framework. We modeled the experimental data of drug release from different MagSs, under various magnetic field types, taken from the literature. The data were fitted to a modified Gompertz equation and to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (KPM). The correlation coefficient (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) were the figures of merit used to evaluate the fitting quality. It has been found that the Gompertz model can fit most of the drug delivery cases, with an average RMSE below 0.01 and R2>0.9. This quantitative interpretation of existing experimental data can foster the design and use of MagSs for drug delivery applications.

Systemic delivery of bictegravir and tenofovir alafenamide using dissolving microneedles for HIV preexposure prophylaxis

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a serious threat to global health. Oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), considered highly effective for HIV prevention, is the utilisation of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs before HIV exposure in high-risk uninfected individuals. However, ARV drugs are associated with poor patient compliance and pill fatigue due to their daily oral dosing. Therefore, an alternative strategy for drug delivery is required. In this work, two dissolving microneedle patches (MNs) containing either bictegravir (BIC) or tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) were developed for systemic delivery of a novel ARV regimen for potential HIV prevention. According to ex vivo skin deposition studies, approximately 11% and 50% of BIC and TAF was delivered using dissolving MNs, respectively. Pharmacokinetic studies in Sprague Dawley rats demonstrated that BIC MNs achieved a long-acting release profile, maintaining the relative plasma concentration above the 95% inhibitory concentration (IC95) for 3 weeks. For TAF MNs, a rapid release of drug and metabolism of TAF into TFV were obtained from the plasma samples. This work has shown that the proposed transdermal drug delivery platform could be potentially used as an alternative method to systemically deliver ARV drugs for HIV PrEP.

Characterization of behavior of the inclusion complex between Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin loaded alginate/chitosan nanoparticles and indomethacin as a potential approach for drug delivery

Indomethacin (IND) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with low aqueous solubility and irritating gastrointestinal side effects. By complexing this drug inside the cavity of cyclodextrin (CD) and loading it into polymer nanoparticles such as Chitosan (CS) and Alginate (Alg), in addition to increasing its solubility, a targeted drug delivery platform can be created to release this drug. In this study, initially, the complex of IND with Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) was created using the freeze-drying method. Then, by ionic gelation method, the complex was loaded into CS nanoparticles, and finally, these nanoparticles were coated with Alg to enable drug release in the intestinal environment. Complexes and nanoparticles formation were investigated by phase solubility, FTIR, HNMR, XRD, and SEM methods. Moreover, the Zeta potential method was used to measure the stability of nanoparticles coated with Alg. According to phase solubility studies, drug solubility increased linearly with increasing CD concentration, indicating an AL-type system. In addition, according to the phase solubility diagram, the stability constant and complexation efficiency were obtained 177 M−1 and 0.388, respectively. In the following, the formation of chitosan nanoparticles was confirmed through spectral shifts observed in FTIR analysis as well as morphological changes revealed in SEM analysis. Also, the zeta potential of Alg coated nanoparticles was 110.067 mV, which indicates the good stability of these nanoparticles. At the end, in vitro release studies were conducted to investigate the pH-sensitive capability of these nanoparticles at pH = 1.5 and pH = 7. The formed nanosystem successfully released 78.51 % of the drug at pH = 7 and prevented its release in acidic pH.

Bells and Whistles on Fertilizers: Molecular Hands to Hang Nanoporous Foliar Fertilizer Reservoirs.

Porous materials are highly explored platforms for fertilizer delivery. Among porous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an important class of coordination polymers in which metal ions and organic electron donors as linkers are assembled to form crystalline structures with stable nanoporosity. Selected amino acids were inherently found to have the capacity to hold the leaf cuticle. Hence, MOF synthesis was attempted in the presence of amino acids, which can act as surface terminators and can assist as hands to hold to the leaf for a controlled nutrient supply. By serendipity, the amino acids were found to act as modulators, resulting in well-stabilized porous MOF structures with iron metal nodes, which are often noted to be unstable. Thus, the composite, i.e., (MOF@aa) MOF modulated with amino acids, has efficient nutrient-feeding ability through the foliar route when compared to the control.

A Perspective on the Characterization of Early Neural Progenitor Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Targeted Delivery to Neuroblastoma Cells

As an element of the cellular signaling systems, extracellular vesicles (EVs) exhibit many desirable traits for usage as targeted delivery vehicles. When administered, EVs cause little to no toxic or immune response, stay in circulation for longer periods compared to synthetic carriers, preferentially accumulate in tissues that are the same or similar to their cell-of-origin and can pass through the blood-brain barrier. Combined, these traits make neural EVs a particularly promising tool for delivering drugs to the brain. This study aims to combine tissue and EVs engineering to prepare neural differentiated cells derived EVs that exhibit neural properties, to develop an effective, tissue-homing drug and gene delivery platform for the brain. Early neural differentiated cell-derived EVs were produced with neural characteristics from neural differentiated human neonatal dermal fibroblasts. The EVs carried key neural proteins such as Nestin, Sox2 and Doublecortin. The cellular uptake of early neural differentiated cell-derived EVs was higher compared to non-neural EVs during in vitro uptake assays on neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, eND-EVs were significantly decreased the viability of neuroblastoma cells. In conclusion, this study revealed that early neural differentiated cell-derived EVs have potential as a promising drug carrier for the treatment of various neural disorders.Graphical

Cytostatic drug mitoxantrone delivery platform based on porous vaterite particles: Synthesis, characterization and release

Malignant neoplasms remain a serious problem worldwide, requiring improved approaches to chemotherapy. Cytostatic drug delivery platforms offer a number of advantages, such as controlling the rate of drug release and the ability to increase drug concentration in the pathologic area. The high biocompatibility and physicochemical features of porous calcium carbonate particles (vaterite) make them an ideal candidate for drug delivery. Vaterite of two sizes (micron and sub-micron) have been considered as a delivery platform for cytostatic drug mitoxantrone (MTX). We used freezing-induced loading of MTX into calcium carbonate particles, and MTX loading capacity and efficacy were independent of particle size (0.09 ± 0.01 wt% and 70 ± 9 % for micron, and 0.07 ± 0.03 wt% and 65 ± 14 % for sub-micron particles). The release profile of MTX for particles of two sizes differed, with release accompanied by recrystallization of vaterite. The MTX release was faster for micron-sized particles. We have proposed a completely new approach to visualize the process of MTX release from calcium carbonate particles, based on the quenching the fluorescence of gel, contained semiconductor quantum dots (FluoGel). A cytotoxicity study of two sizes of calcium carbonate particles with MTX demonstrated the preservation of anti-cancer efficacy, with better results for micron-sized particles. Thus, the proposed cytostatic drug mitoxantrone delivery platform may be promising for drug delivery.

Promotion of Th17 Polarized Immunity via Co-Delivery of Mincle Agonist and Tuberculosis Antigen Using Silica Nanoparticles.

Adjuvants and immunomodulators that effectively drive a Th17-skewed immune response are not part of the standard vaccine toolkit. Vaccine adjuvants and delivery technologies that can induce Th17 or Th1/17 immunity and protection against bacterial pathogens, such as tuberculosis (TB), are urgently needed. Th17-polarized immune response can be induced using agonists that bind and activate C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) such as macrophage inducible C-type lectin (Mincle). A simple but effective strategy was developed for codelivering Mincle agonists with the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion antigen, M72, using tunable silica nanoparticles (SNP). Anionic bare SNP, hydrophobic phenyl-functionalized SNP (P-SNP), and cationic amine-functionalized SNP (A-SNP) of different sizes were coated with three synthetic Mincle agonists, UM-1024, UM-1052, and UM-1098, and evaluated for adjuvant activity in vitro and in vivo. The antigen and adjuvant were coadsorbed onto SNP via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, facilitating multivalent display and delivery to antigen presenting cells. The cationic A-SNP showed the highest coloading efficiency for the antigen and adjuvant. In addition, the UM-1098-adsorbed A-SNP formulation demonstrated slow-release kinetics in vitro, excellent stability over 12 months of storage, and strong IL-6 induction from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Co-adsorption of UM-1098 and M72 on A-SNP significantly improved antigen-specific humoral and Th17-polarized immune responses in vivo in BALB/c mice relative to the controls. Taken together, A-SNP is a promising platform for codelivery and proper presentation of adjuvants and antigens and provides the basis for their further development as a vaccine delivery platform for immunization against TB or other diseases for which Th17 immunity contributes to protection.

Nanoliposomes Permeability in a Microfluidic Drug Delivery Platform across a 3D Hydrogel.

Nanoliposomes are nano-sized vesicles that can be used as drug delivery carriers with the ability to encapsulate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds. Moreover, their lipid compositions facilitate their internalization by cells. However, the interaction between nanoliposomes and the membrane barrier of the human body is not well-known. If cellular tests and animal testing offer a solution, their lack of physiological relevance and ethical concerns make them unsuitable to properly mimic human body complexity. Microfluidics, which allows the environment of the human body to be imitated in a controlled way, can fulfil this role. However, existing models are missing the presence of something that would mimic a basal membrane, often consisting of a simple cell layer on a polymer membrane. In this study, we investigated the diffusion of nanoliposomes in a microfluidic system and found the optimal parameters to maximize their diffusion. Then, we incorporated a custom made GelMA with a controlled degree of substitution and studied the passage of fluorescently labeled nanoliposomes through this barrier. Our results show that highly substituted GelMA was more porous than lower substitution GelMA. Overall, our work lays the foundation for the incorporation of a hydrogel mimicking a basal membrane on a drug delivery microfluidic platform.

Advantages and disadvantages of digital mental health initiatives in Nigeria – a qualitative interview study

Background The impact of COVID-19 and its mitigation measures have exacerbated the global mental health crisis. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) may have the potential to address health system gaps and global health inequalities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Aims This thesis aims to map the current state of DMHIs in Nigeria and illustrate their progress, limitations, and challenges. Methods Twenty interviews were conducted with researchers, healthcare providers, and digital health experts. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Then data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The majority of DMHIs in Nigeria are private mental health service delivery platforms that connect directly to mental health professionals. The target audience encompasses all mental health conditions and ages. Advantages of DMHIs include increasing efficiency, accessibility, addressing stigma, and filling the mental health service gap. Disadvantages include skepticism, limitations of applicability, lack of accessibility to internet and technology, lack of sustainability and infrastructure, and lack of funding and policies. Conclusion The lessons learned in the Nigerian context can inform the delivery of DMHIs in other low-resource settings. Future research should examine user and provider feedback of DMHIs to allow for comparative analysis, more conclusive and replicable results to inform DMHI design and implementation.

Transforming glomerulonephritis care through emerging diagnostics and therapeutics

Background: Glomerulonephritis refers to a range of conditions involving inflammation and injury to the kidneys' glomeruli, often leading to significant morbidity if left untreated. Purpose: This review aims to examine emerging advancements in the prevention and treatment of glomerulonephritis and highlight progress in transforming the prognosis of this spectrum of diseases, while also identifying gaps requiring ongoing effort. Main body: Novel targeted immunotherapies utilizing engineered delivery platforms and biologicals like monoclonal antibodies are progressing in research pipelines, potentially offering safer, more efficacious alternatives to current standard immunosuppression. High-throughput biomarker assays and AI/machine learning algorithms have demonstrated the ability to improve early detection of kidney damage and guide personalized treatment plans. Further prevention opportunities emerge from modulating microbiome-immune interactions, lifestyle factors, and vaccinations shielding against infections triggering renal disorders. Conclusion: Although challenges remain, recent advancements in unraveling the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis coupled with the emergence of cutting-edge diagnostics and targeted interventions set the stage for a new era combating the risk and progression of this spectrum of diseases.

Development of 225Ac-doped biocompatible nanoparticles for targeted alpha therapy

Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) relies on chemical affinity or active targeting using radioimmunoconjugates as strategies to deliver α-emitting radionuclides to cancerous tissue. These strategies can be affected by transmetalation of the parent radionuclide by competing ions in vivo and the bond-breaking recoil energy of decay daughters. The retention of α-emitting radionuclides and the dose delivered to cancer cells are influenced by these processes. Encapsulating α-emitting radionuclides within nanoparticles can help overcome many of these challenges. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles are a biodegradable and biocompatible delivery platform that has been used for drug delivery. In this study, PLGA nanoparticles are utilized for encapsulation and retention of actinium-225 ([225Ac]Ac3+). Encapsulation of [225Ac]Ac3+ within PLGA nanoparticles (Zave = 155.3 nm) was achieved by adapting a double-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation efficiency was affected by both the solvent conditions and the chelation of [225Ac]Ac3+. Chelation of [225Ac]Ac3+ to a lipophilic 2,9-bis-lactam-1,10-phenanthroline ligand ([225Ac]AcBLPhen) significantly decreased its release (< 2%) and that of its decay daughters (< 50%) from PLGA nanoparticles. PLGA nanoparticles encapsulating [225Ac]AcBLPhen significantly increased the delivery of [225Ac]Ac3+ to murine (E0771) and human (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells with a concomitant increase in cell death over free [225Ac]Ac3+ in solution. These results demonstrate that PLGA nanoparticles have potential as radionuclide delivery platforms for TAT to advance precision radiotherapy for cancer. In addition, this technology offers an alternative use for ligands with poor aqueous solubility, low stability, or low affinity, allowing them to be repurposed for TAT by encapsulation within PLGA nanoparticles.Graphical

Pickering emulsion co-delivery system: Stimuli-responsive biomineralized particles act as particulate emulsifiers and bioactive carriers

Pickering emulsions provide a promising platform for the efficient delivery of bioactive. However, co-delivery of fragile bioactives with different physicochemical properties for comprehensive effects still faces practical challenges due to the limited protection for bioactives and the lack of stimuli-responsive property for on-demand release. Herein, a stimuli-responsive co-delivery system is developed based on biomineralized particles stabilized Pickering emulsions. In this tailor co-delivery system, hydrophilic bioactive (pepsin) with the fragile structure is encapsulated and immobilized by biomineralization, the obtained biomineralized particles (PPS@CaCO3) are further utilized as emulsifiers to form O/W Pickering emulsions, in which the hydrophobic oxidizable bioactive (curcumin) is stably trapped into the dispersed phase. The results show that two bioactives are successfully co-encapsulated in Pickering emulsions, and benefiting from the protection capacities of biomineralization and Pickering emulsions, the activity of pepsin and curcumin shows a 7.33-fold and 144.83-fold enhancement compared to the free state, respectively. Moreover, In vitro study demonstrates that Pickering emulsions enable to co-release of two bioactives with high activity retention by the acid-induced hydrolyzation of biomineralized particles. This work provides a powerful stimuli-responsive platform for the co-delivery of multiple bioactive compounds, enabling high activity of bioactives for the comprehensive health effects.

The impact of isopropanol and carbomer type on physicochemical characteristics of bioadhesive thermoresponsive platforms for eprinomectin delivery

Environmentally responsive systems composed of poloxamer 407 (P407) and different carbomers were investigated for eprinomectin delivery, as they can show improved properties for skin administration and permeation. Eprinomectin shows great efficacy against endo and ectoparasites, but its hydrophobicity is a challenge for the development of formulations. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of P407 amount, carbomer type and isopropyl alcohol (IA) concentration on sol-gel transition, compressional, rheological, drug release, bioadhesive and skin permeation properties of designed systems for topical administration of eprinomectin. Systems composed of different amounts of P407 and Carbomer 974P or 934P were proposed. The influence of IA amount and the eprinomectin presence was also investigated. Drug and IA reduced the structuring capacity and the compressional properties of systems. Preparations displayed bioadhesive force influenced by the carbomer type and drug presence. The higher P407 amount, the presence of C974P and the temperature increase enhanced the bioadhesiveness and structuring of systems. The selected formulations displayed drug release controlled by anomalous transport, and the formulations improved the bovine skin permeation of eprinomectin. P407 (17.5 %), 15 % IA, 0.3 % C974P and 0.5 % eprinomectin showed rendered an efficient system for controlled topical delivery and suggest it is worthy of in vivo evaluation.

Self-activating chitosan-based nanoparticles for sphingosin-1 phosphate modulator delivery and selective tumor therapy

This study reports on the design and synthesis of hypoxia responsive nanoparticles (HRNPs) composed of methoxy polyethylene glycol-4,4 dicarboxylic azolinker-chitosan (mPEG-Azo-chitosan) as ideal drug delivery platform for Fingolimod (FTY720, F) delivery to achieve selective and highly enhanced TNBC therapy in vivo. Herein, HRNPs with an average size of 49.86 nm and a zeta potential of +3.22 mV were synthetized, which after PEG shedding can shift into a more positively-charged NPs (+30.3 mV), possessing self-activation ability under hypoxia situation in vitro, 2D and 3D culture. Treatment with lower doses of HRNPs@F significantly reduced MDA-MB-231 microtumor size to 15 %, induced apoptosis by 88 % within 72 h and reduced highly-proliferative 4 T1 tumor weight by 87.66 % vs. ∼30 % for Fingolimod compared to the untreated controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record for development of hypoxia-responsive chitosan-based NPs with desirable physicochemical properties, and selective self-activation potential to generate highly-charged nanosized tumor-penetrating chitosan NPs. This formulation is capable of localized delivery of Fingolimod to the tumor core, minimizing its side effects while boosting its anti-tumor potential for eradication of TNBC solid tumors.

Melanin-based duplex Cas9 ribonucleoprotein nanomedicine for synergistic phototherapy and immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown significant progress in treating triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the standalone effectiveness of ICB is modest, offering patients only slight benefits. In this report, we utilize a hypoxia-responsive duplex genome editing strategy to target tumor cell programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2), which is synergized with photothermal therapy (PTT) to amplify the therapeutic effect of TNBC. In our approach, the melanin nanoparticles (MNP) serve as the delivery platform for transporting the CRISPR-CasPTPN2/PD-L1 (Cas-TD) system, which is cross-linked by a hypoxic-sensitive Azo linker and then further modified with tumor homing phenylboronic acid (PBA), resulting in a stimuli-responsive multifunctionality nanotheranostic platform (MPA@Cas-TD@PP). Aided by the guidance of PBA, nanoparticles selectively accumulate at tumor and then disintegrate with enhanced intracellular penetration. Importantly, PTT initiates the immunogenic cell death (ICD), turning the “cold” tumor into a “hot” one, laying the foundation for subsequent ICB. Inhibiting PTPN2 and PD-L1 can synergistically sensitize tumors to immunotherapy, which exhibit magnified immunotherapy effects by increasing activated cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and enhancing interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-mediated effects. In summary, this multifunctional nanotherapeutic platform provides a promising treatment approach for synergistic phototherapy and immunotherapy in TNBC.

Initial clinical experience with the first-in-class anti-metastasis therapeutic TTX-MC138.

e15072 Background: TransCode is focused on developing nucleic acid-based cancer therapies. Through scientific discovery efforts, miRNA-10b was identified as a master regulator of the viability of metastatic tumor cells. This knowledge allowed development of a therapeutic strategy based on miR-10b inhibition. miR-10b was targeted using antagomirs delivered to metastatic sites by an iron oxide nanocarrier, termed TTX-MC138. Results demonstrated that TTX-MC138 could cause complete and persistent regressions of metastases in cancer models. Methods: TransCode has an active eIND and is conducting a Phase 0 clinical study with radiolabeled TTX-MC138 in patients with advanced metastatic cancer of multiple tissue origins. TTX-MC138 was radiolabeled with Cu64 through a NODAGA chelator. IND enabling studies were conducted in rats and non-human primates to support FDA activation (eIND163800) for the Phase 0 clinical study. In the trial, a single intravenous microdose of Cu-64 labeled TTX-MC138 is administered, which allows for direct visualization of drug tissue distribution in cancer patients via PET-MR imaging. Results: Non-clinical studies were conducted to support the TTX-MC138 clinical development program. In rats, when TTX-MC138 was infused intravenously at a dose of 27 mg/kg, results displayed a blood half-life of 16.7±9.35 hrs. At 24-h, concentrations were highest in the liver and spleen. In non-human primates injected with Cu64-labeled TTX-MC138 at a dose of 100 microg, the organs with the highest uptake were the liver, heart, lung and spleen. The mean whole blood half-life was 12.2 ± 2.3 h (mean ± standard deviation). RadioHPLC analysis of plasma samples showed that the drug is very stable with respect to metabolism. A study in rats involved a single injection with 0, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg followed by a 2-day or 14-day observational period. The drug was well-tolerated at levels up to 1 mg/kg, which was considered to be the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL). Preliminary results from the Phase 0 clinical study showed that the first patient tolerated the dosing with no reported adverse reactions, the drug remained stable in circulation, and circulated with a long half-life of 20 hours. Lesion to blood ratios of radioactivity in the region of the metastatic lesions was consistent with accumulation of TTX-MC138. Enrollment, data monitoring, and analysis is ongoing. Conclusions: The results of the non-clinical studies and Phase 0 clinical study have the potential to address the question of delivery to the target tissue. The process leading to the implementation of TTX-MC138 in the clinic is critically dependent on the innate tropism of the TTX delivery platform to tumors and represents a first step towards developing effective nucleic-acid based therapeutics against cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT05908773 .