Dipicolylamine-based Nanoparticles for Delivery of Ligands

Many potential nucleic acid therapeutics have not transitioned from the research laboratory to clinical application in large part because delivery technologies for these therapies are not effective. Most nucleic acid delivery technologies are lipid-based or positively charged and require chemical or physical conjugation with the nucleic acid. These delivery systems are often therapeutically unacceptable due to toxicity or immune system reactivity. The present technology is a nanoparticle complex, containing a polymer substrate, such as a hyaluronic acid, and Zn²⁺-dipicolylamine (Zn-DPA), that associates selectively with the nucleic acid phosphodiester groups. This complex functions as a simple, easy to scale-up, cost effective, low toxicity delivery system for potential nucleic acid therapeutics, such as siRNA molecules. It may also be capable of co-delivering other small molecule drugs.