Background
This invention contains a new composition of our researchers’ previously patented QQ-protein delivery technology and the in vivo applications of this protein delivery technology via systemic administered proteins for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Many proteins and peptides are used as highly specific and effective therapeutic agents. Their use is, however, complicated and compromised by their instability and side effects. It is important to bring these protein and peptide drugs into the correct intracellular locations of the target cells without subjecting them to lysosomal degradation and movement into the wrong intracellular locations. It is even more challenging to deliver a protein or peptide drug or diagnostic reagent into the correct intracellular compartment of tumor cells without affecting the normal cells through in vivo systemic administrations. This is particularly true for protein delivery into the central nervous system since the delivered proteins must cross the blood-brain barrier.
Technology
Previously our researchers have used their QQ-protein delivery technology in cell culture settings, yet until now it has never been applied to in vivo applications. The QQ-reagents have new recipes for in vivo protein delivery, which enables delivery to the tissues of live animals. The optimized recipes allow for protein delivery using the circulation system via tail-vein injections. Our researchers have invented an in vivo systemic protein delivery technique that solves many challenges and enables targeted delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic proteins and peptide drugs to get into the correct compartment of tumor cells including tumors in the central nervous system via systemic administration. The delivered proteins into tumors provide significant diagnostic as well as therapeutic benefits.
Technology Advantages
The new invention solves major challenges of the current protein delivery techniques, including: systemically delivering proteins in vivo for proper functions; the delivered proteins are stable during the systemic delivery and perform normal functions; the systemically delivered proteins can target diseased tissues without affecting the normal and healthy tissues; the systemically delivered proteins inside diseased cells can target the correct intracellular compartment for proper functions of the delivered proteins without causing side effects.