Novel Chitosan Derivative as a Systemic Drug Delivery Agent and an Antibiotic Treatment
This chitosan derivative may be used to deliver prokaryotic gene silencing CRISPR RNA as a possible treatment for drug resistant infections. Upon acidification, the native chitosan is released. This native chitosan may then damage the bacterial cell membrane and/or interrupt bacterial biological processes by stimulating reactive oxidative species generation. This chitosan/siRNA complex may deliver a one-two punch to combat drug resistant infections.
Proposed uses of chitosan now under research include drug delivery and currently it is used as a topical antibiotic in bandages. However chitosan is a highly insoluble material. Researchers at UCI have modified chitosan with a few hydrophilic functional groups so that the chitosan derivative is more water soluble. This novel chitosan derivative may be used as a systemic drug delivery agent and/or an oral or intravenous antibiotic. Novel siRNAs or other nucleic acids may be complexed with this novel derivative chitosan so the complex may be delivered as a drug therapy to a patient. Upon acidic conditions, the nucleic acid is freed from the complex and the derivative chitosan is hydrolyzed thus releasing chitosan which may act as an antibiotic therapy.
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Testing This chitosan derivative has been tested for its efficiency as a delivery vehicle for pGFP in HeLa cells. Tech ID/UC Case 24412/2015-035-0 Related Cases 2015-035-0
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