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X-Ray Sensitive Liposomes

Detailed Technology Description

Liposomes are tiny hollow spheres made of the phospholipids, which pose a significant potential for drug delivery. They can be formulated in such a way to escape endothelial absorption and detection by the Mononuclear Phagocyte System. Such long circulating liposomes are able to encase and transport an anti-cancer drug. Liposomes have the useful property that they are able to deliver drugs to cancer tumors. However, the liposomes will release the encapsulated drug very slowly and in an uncontrollable manner. A method of quickly releasing the drug only at the desired location is needed so that the toxic anti-cancer drug is not released in the healthy tissue of the body, and achieves therapeutic concentration only inside the tumor. Two separate solutions to this problem have been developed, and both solutions use therapeutic radiation to trigger the rapid release of the drug only in the targeted area. With the use of the new methods, a combination of therapeutic radiation and anti-cancer drugs can be applied to a specific site without exposing the entire body to the toxic effects of the anti-cancer drug. The advantages are that using conformal therapeutic radiation (such as X-rays) to simultaneously destroy tumor tissues and release the drug captures the supra-additive benefits of combined therapy while minimizing the systemic toxicity. Another advantage is that the method can be adapted to make use of other forms of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation (X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared or near infrared) to trigger the drug release. The technologies that allow the rapid release of drugs from liposomes at specific locations in the body through the use of therapeutic radiation are patent pending and international rights are available.  Patent rights are pending in the US and in Europe, for more information see the published patent application at the link below.http://vpred.uark.edu/documents/techventures/tech_docs/wo2013070872a1.pdf

*Abstract

None

*Principal Investigator

Name: Daniel Fologea, Research Associate

Department: Biological Sciences

Name: Gregory Salamo, Distinguished Professor

Department:

Name: Ralph Henry

Department:

Name: Yuriy Mazur

Department:

Country/Region

USA