Asset/Technology Type
Therapeutic/Drug Delivery Agent
Description of Invention
The invention is an engineered biomimetic nanoparticle (NP) that integrates neural or glial cell membrane proteins into lipid-based nanoparticles (a.k.a. neurosomes). The integration of these neural/glial cell proteins within the NP shell enables precise targeting to treat a variety of neurological disorders resulting from trauma, neurodegeneration, and/or neuroinflammation. Currently, the NPs are used to achieve targeted delivery of anti-inflammatory agents to inflamed astrocytes as a treatment stategy for Alzheimer’s disease, although the use of these NPs in other neurological indications are also under investigation.
Stage of Development
In vitro: Developed and validated two neurosome formulations (one for chemical compounds and one for genetic cargo), both of which display increased co-localization and uptake in neural cells compared to liposomes. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays revealed that neither neurosome formulation produced neurotoxicity at concentrations of 100uM in 2D cell cultures and 500uM in 3D cell cultures.
In vivo: Confirmed cellular association and uptake of the biomimetic humanized NPs to neurons within rodent cranial nerves.
References:
Zinger A. et al., Adv Sci (Weinh) 2021 Oct;8(19):e2101437
Lavekar S. et al., Front Neurosci 2023 Nov 22:17:1305921
Patel R. et al., Dev Dyn 2019 Jan;248(1):21-33
Competitive Landscape
Restoration of neural function after trauma, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation is currently hindered by a lack of effective and clinically applicable biotechnologies for cell-targeted therapy. Enabling technologies are urgently needed to improve sustained delivery of therapeutic cargo (e.g. genetic and chemical compounds) and avoiding potential side effects that may occur with viral delivery. Bio-inspired tools such as exosomes have demonstrated tremendous promise in this area, however, the complexity and variability of cellular sources reduces their potential for scalable use in the clinic. Functionalized NPs with various surface modifications, such as coupling peptides or antibodies to NPs or modifying surface charge for selective neuron-specific targeting, have been employed to increase targeting efficacy. Alternatively, exosome-like lipid NPs have also been used for delivery to the brain as a means to mimic neural cellular communication. Standardized protocols for storage and characterization of these NPs have not yet been fully established and low yield from biological sources reduces the potential of translating these therapeutic strategies into the clinic.
Competitive Advantages
Intellectual Property (HM Ref. OTT201935)
US patent application was published US2025/0090460 and is pending.
Inventors
Robert Krencik, PhD; Francesca Taraballi, PhD; Assaf Zinger, PhD; Caroline Cvetkovic, PhD; Ennio Tasciotti, PhD (Houston Methodist)
Contact Us
For more information, please contact the Office of Technology Transfer at OTT@HoustonMethodist.org