Compositions and methods for cancer treatment using targeted carbon nanotubes
Patent Number: US9504745
Executive Summary:
General Description:
The Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) consists in the application of light to activate photosensitive molecules or photosensitizer, to generate oxygen radicals that are cytotoxic and could destroy nearby cells. PDT is a promising approach in cancer therapy, however it is not widely applied. The currently used photosensitizers are activated by short wavelength radiation, which cannot penetrate deep in the tissues. The invention proposes the use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) which are linked to proteins or peptide that bind specifically receptors or ligand expressed solely on the surface of cancerous cells or tumor blood vessels. Therefore, the administration of SWNT-protein/peptide complexes via the blood stream, enables PDT to target and kill malignant cells and vasculature rather than healthy tissue. The SWNT could be activated by low energy near-infrared radiation which does not affect human tissues and blood that are not bound to SWNT-protein/peptide complexes. Thus, by adjusting the energy of the light, the SWNT-protein/peptide complexes enable deeper penetration of PDT. Additionally, the combination SWNT-PDT could be applied as a therapeutic approach to many type of cancers characterized by specific surface receptors or binding sites.
Strengths:
Patent Status:
Publications:
Targeting single-walled carbon nanotubes for the treatment of breast cancer using photothermal therapy.
Neves LF, Krais JJ, Van Rite BD, Ramesh R, Resasco DE, Harrison RG. Nanotechnology. 2013 Sep 20;24(37):375104. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/37/375104. Epub 2013 Aug 23. PMID: 23975064
Non-covalent attachment of proteins to single-walled carbon nanotubes. Neves LF, Tsai TW, Palwai NR, Martyn DE, Tan Y, Schmidtke DW, Resasco DE, Harrison RG. Methods Mol Biol. 2010;625:3-8. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-579-8_1.
PMID:20422376
Inventor Bio: Roger G. Harrison
http://www.ou.edu/coe/cbme/people/faculty1/harrison.html
Executive Summary:
- Invention Type: Therapeutic
- Patent Status: Active (granted)
- Patent Link: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9504745/
- Research Institute: University of Oklahoma
- Disease Focus: Cancer (any cancer characterized by specific surface receptors or binding sites)
- Basis of Invention: Light sensitive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) is attached to or physically associated to proteins or peptides through a cellulose derivative linker to bind to receptors or ligands solely expressed on the surface of cancerous cells or tumor blood vessels
- How it works: After administration of the SWNT-protein/peptide complexes via the blood stream, the irradiation with near infrared radiation activates photosensitive molecules of the carbon nanotube to generate oxygen radicals causing cytotoxic reactions or death of the SWNT-bound endothelial cells of the tumor vasculature or surface of cancerous cells
- Lead Challenge Inventor: Roger G. Harrison
- Inventors: Roger G. Harrison, Jr., Daniel E. Resasco, Luis Filipe Ferreira Neves
- Development Stage: Pre-clinical (in vivo data available)
- Novelty:
- SWANT-protein/peptide complexes enable deeper penetration of the light into the targeted tissues and cells
- SWANT-protein/peptide complexes target cancer cells and tumor vasculature thus reducing the toxicity of the treatment by leaving the healthy tissues and cells unaffected
- SWANT-protein/peptide complexes enable deeper penetration of the light into the targeted tissues and cells
- Clinical Applications:
- Targeted therapy to treat cancer
- Targeted therapy to treat cancer
General Description:
The Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) consists in the application of light to activate photosensitive molecules or photosensitizer, to generate oxygen radicals that are cytotoxic and could destroy nearby cells. PDT is a promising approach in cancer therapy, however it is not widely applied. The currently used photosensitizers are activated by short wavelength radiation, which cannot penetrate deep in the tissues. The invention proposes the use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) which are linked to proteins or peptide that bind specifically receptors or ligand expressed solely on the surface of cancerous cells or tumor blood vessels. Therefore, the administration of SWNT-protein/peptide complexes via the blood stream, enables PDT to target and kill malignant cells and vasculature rather than healthy tissue. The SWNT could be activated by low energy near-infrared radiation which does not affect human tissues and blood that are not bound to SWNT-protein/peptide complexes. Thus, by adjusting the energy of the light, the SWNT-protein/peptide complexes enable deeper penetration of PDT. Additionally, the combination SWNT-PDT could be applied as a therapeutic approach to many type of cancers characterized by specific surface receptors or binding sites.
Strengths:
- Use of SWNT as a photosensitizer which absorbs near infra-red radiations (long wavelength radiation) allowing deeper penetration of the PDT thus overcoming one of the limitations.
- Reduced side-toxic effects of PDT by linking protein or peptides specific to receptors or ligands expressed or overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells or tumor vasculature
- Application of SWNT-PDT combination to any type of cancers that express or overexpress ligands or receptors
Patent Status:
- Priority date: 2007-02-19
- Filing date: 2013-12-09
- Publication date: 2016-11-29
- Grant date: 2016-11-29
Publications:
Targeting single-walled carbon nanotubes for the treatment of breast cancer using photothermal therapy.
Neves LF, Krais JJ, Van Rite BD, Ramesh R, Resasco DE, Harrison RG. Nanotechnology. 2013 Sep 20;24(37):375104. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/37/375104. Epub 2013 Aug 23. PMID: 23975064
Non-covalent attachment of proteins to single-walled carbon nanotubes. Neves LF, Tsai TW, Palwai NR, Martyn DE, Tan Y, Schmidtke DW, Resasco DE, Harrison RG. Methods Mol Biol. 2010;625:3-8. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-579-8_1.
PMID:20422376
Inventor Bio: Roger G. Harrison
http://www.ou.edu/coe/cbme/people/faculty1/harrison.html