June 30, 2017 Size switchable nano-theranostics constructed with decomposable inorganic nanomaterials for acidic TME targeted cancer therapy. (a) A scheme showing the preparation of HSA-MnO2-Ce6&Pt (HMCP) nanoparticles, and (b) their tumor microenvironment responsive dissociation to enable efficient intra-tumoral penetration of therapeutic albumin complexes. (c) A scheme showing the preparation of Ce6(Mn)@CaCO3-PEG, and (d) its acidic TME responsive dissociation for enhanced MR imaging and synergistic cancer therapy. Credit: Science China Press

Cancer is one of leading causes of human mortality around the world. The current mainstream cancer treatment modalities (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) only show limited treatment outcomes, partly owing to the complexities and heterogeneity of tumor biology. In recent decades, with the rapid advance of nanotechnology, nanomedicine has attracted increasing attention as promising for personalized medicine to enable more efficient and reliable cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Unlike normal cells energized via oxidative phosphorylation, tumor cells utilize the energy produced from oxygen-independent glycolysis for survival by adapting to insufficient tumor oxygen supply resulting from the heterogeneously distributed tumor vasculatures (also known as the Warburg effect). Via such oncogenic metabolism, tumor cells would produce a large amount of lactate along with excess protons and carbon dioxide, which collectively contribute to enhanced acidification of the extracellular TME with pH, often in the range of 6.5 to 6.8, leading to increased tumor metastasis and treatment resistance.

With rapid advances in nanotechnology, several catalogs of nanomaterials have been widely explored for the design of cancer-targeted nano-theranostics. In a new overview published in the Beijing-based National Science Review, co-authors Liangzhu Feng, Ziliang Dong, Danlei Tao, Yicheng Zhang and Zhuang Liu at the Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University in Suzhou, China present new developments in the design of novel multifunctional nano-theranostics for precision cancer nanomedicine by targeting the acidic TME and outline the potential development directions of future acidic tumor microenvironment-responsive nano-theranostics.

"Various types of pH-responsive nanoprobes have been developed to enable great signal amplification under slightly reduced pH within solid tumors. By taking the acidic TME as the target, smart imaging nanoprobes with excellent pH-responsive signal amplification would be promising to enable more sensitive and accurate tumor diagnosis," they state in the published study.

"As far as nano-therapeutics are concerned, it has been found that the acidic TME responsive surface charge reverse, PEG corona detachment and size shrinkage (or decomposition) of nanoparticles would facilitate the efficient tumor accumulation, intra-tumoral diffusion and tumor cellular uptake of therapeutics, leading to significantly improved cancer treatment. Therefore, the rational development of novel cancer-targeted nano-theranostics with sequential patterns of size switch from large to small, and surface charge reverse from neutral or slightly negative to positive within the tumor, would be more preferred for efficient tumor-targeted drug delivery."

The scientists also write, "For the translation of those interesting smart pH-responsive nano-therapeutics from bench to bedside, the formulation of those nanoscale systems should be relatively simple, reliable and with great biocompatibility, since many of those currently developed nano-theranostics were may be too complicated for clinical translation."

Explore further: Treatment with Alk5 inhibitor improves tumor uptake of imaging agents

More information: Liangzhu Feng et al, The acidic tumor microenvironment: a target for smart cancer nano-theranostics, National Science Review (2017). DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwx062

A form of genetic variation, called differential RNA splicing, may have a role in tumor aggressiveness and drug resistance in African American men with prostate cancer. Researchers at the George Washington University (GW) ...

While mutations in protein-coding genes have held the limelight in cancer genomics, those in the noncoding genome (home to the regulatory elements that control gene activity) may also have powerful roles in driving tumor ...

A molecular test can pinpoint which patients will have a very low risk of death from breast cancer even 20 years after diagnosis and tumor removal, according to a new clinical study led by UC San Francisco in collaboration ...

Scientists have had limited success at identifying specific inherited genes associated with prostate cancer, despite the fact that it is one of the most common non-skin cancers among men. Researchers at University of Utah ...

Cancerous tumors are formidable enemies, recruiting blood vessels to aid their voracious growth, damaging nearby tissues, and deploying numerous strategies to evade the body's defense systems. But even more malicious are ...

Leukemia researchers led by Dr. John Dick have traced the origins of relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to rare therapy-resistant leukemia stem cells that are already present at diagnosis and before chemotherapy begins.

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

Read more:
Exploiting acidic tumor microenvironment for the development of novel cancer nano-theranostics - Medical Xpress

VANCOUVER, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Precision Nanosystems, Inc. (PNI), a global leader in enabling transformative nanomedicinesannounced today that the companyentered into a license agreement with FUJIFILM Corporationto adopt PNI's NanoAssemblr technology and complete suite of instruments for Fujifilm'sstate-of-the-art manufacturing facility, compatible with GMP regulations of US, Europe and Japan.

As part of this agreement, Fujifilm has the rights to offer contract manufacturing services using PNI's proprietary technology andalso use PNI technology to develop and commercialize its internal therapeutic drug products. PNI and Fujifilm will work together to combine and democratize the scalable manufacturing of gene therapy and small-molecule based nanomedicines using Fujifilm's and PNI's proprietary technologies.

PNI's NanoAssemblr technology is powered by the disruptive NxGen microfluidics mixing technology designed exclusively for scalable nanomedicine development while maintaining precise control and reproducibility. The NanoAssemblr platform is comprised of the Spark, Ignite, Blaze and GMP Systems that together offer a flexible solution for accelerated, cost-effective development and scalable manufacture of high-quality gene therapy, small molecule and protein-based nanomedicine products.

James Taylor, Co-Founder and CEO of PNI said, "We are thrilled to work with Fujifilm to enable our technology in support of clinical clients as they progress their therapeutic programs from the laboratory to the clinic and commercial. Fujifilm's R&D teams will combinethe PNI platform andtheir proprietary Drug Delivery Systems technologies and we look forward to the seamless scaling up and manufacturing of innovative medicines to impact human well-being."

Nanomedicinesis one of the focus areas of Fujifilm, tapping into itsadvanced technologies such as nano-technology, process engineering technology and analysis technology. "We are excited to work with PNI to bring on board the NanoAssemblr suite of products and cutting-edge nanomedicines manufacturing technology," said Junji Okada, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Pharmaceutical products division, FUJIFILM Corporation. "Tapping into Fujifilm's state of the art technology, expertise and thefacility for the provision of pre-clinical and GMP manufacturing services, we are committed to creating innovative and high-value pharmaceutical productsnot only through internal development but also by providing high quality liposomal formulations to our partner companies."

About Precision NanoSystems Inc.

Precision NanoSystems Inc. (PNI) proprietary NanoAssemblr Platform enables the rapid, reproducible, and scalable manufacture of next generation nanoparticle formulations for the targeted delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents to cells and tissues in the body. PNI provides instruments, reagents and services to life sciences researchers, including pharmaceutical companies, and builds strategic collaborations to revolutionize healthcare through nanotechnology. For more information, visit http://www.precisionnanosystems.com.

About Fujifilm CorporationFUJIFILM Corporation, Tokyo, Japan is one of the major operating companies of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation. The company brings cutting edge solutions to a broad range of global industries by leveraging its depth of knowledge and fundamental technologies developed in its relentless pursuit of innovation. Its proprietary core technologies contribute to the various fields including healthcare, graphic systems, highly functional materials, optical devices, digital imaging and document products. These products and services are based on its extensive portfolio of chemical, mechanical, optical, electronic and imaging technologies. For the year ended March 31, 2019, the company had global revenues of $22 billion, at an exchange rate of 111 yen to the dollar. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit: http://www.fujifilmholdings.com.

Jane Alleva, Global Marketing Manager, Precision NanoSystems, Phone: 1 888 618 0031, ext 140, mobile 1 778 877 5473

SOURCE Precision Nanosystems

Go here to read the rest:
Precision NanoSystems Announces Partnership with Fujifilm for the Development and GMP Manufacturing of Nanoparticle Based Therapeutics - Yahoo Finance

KANAZAWA, Japan, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a recent study published in Autophagy, researchers at Kanazawa University show how abnormalities in a gene called TPR can lead to pediatric brain cancer.

Ependymoma is a rare form of brain cancer that implicates children and is often tricky to diagnose. Since effective treatment options can be initiated only after a well-formed diagnosis, there is a dire need among the medical community to identify markers for ependymoma, which in turn, will help oncologists tailor therapy better. Richard Wong's and Mitsutoshi Nakada's team at Kanazawa University has now shown how one gene closely linked to ependymoma can help with not just diagnosis, but also treatment options for the condition.

A gene known as TPR shows an elevated presence in 38% of ependymoma cases. Thus, the team first sought out to investigate how an increase in the TPR gene correlated to the development of cancer cells. Each gene present in a cell contains a code for the creation of a specific protein. The TPR gene contains the code for an eponymous protein. Therefore, cancer samples from patients were assessed for the levels of TPR protein. As expected, levels of TPR were abnormally high in these tumor tissues.

The researchers then moved on to investigate whether these abnormal TPR levels could lead to cancer progression. For this purpose, mice were implanted with human ependymoma cancer tissue into their brains. The TPR gene was then deleted in these tissues so that the mice were unable to create the TPR protein. When the tumor tissues were subsequently analyzed, a reduction of cancer growth was seen. The TPR gene was thus vital for the growth of ependymoma tumors.

Deletion of the TPR protein is known to induce a process called autophagy within cells. Autophagy is initiated when a cell is under undue stress and results in the death of damaged cells. The patient tumor samples, with their high levels of TPR protein, showed little or no presence of autophagy. However, autophagy was remarkably high in the mice with TPR depletion. Ependymoma cells were thus spared of autophagic death due to the increased presence of TPR. These damaged cells continued to grow by circumventing the biological systems set up to keep them in check. The high TPR levels were also accompanied by an increase in HSF-1 and MTOR, molecules which are responsible for cell growth and survival.

Finally, the possibility of lowering TPR levels therapeutically to control the cancer was assessed. The mice were given a drug called rapamycin, which inhibits MTOR. The treatment not only led to decreased TPR levels, but also shrank the tumor tissues within their brains.

"Thus, TPR can serve as a potential biomarker, and MTOR inhibition could be an effective therapeutic approach for ependymoma patients," conclude the researchers. While looking out for increased levels of TPR in patients can help oncologists achieve a more comprehensive diagnosis, reducing TPR levels with the help of drugs can help keep the tumors in check.

Background:

Autophagy: Autophagy, which literally translates to "self-eating" is the self-preservation mechanism of the body to get rid of damaged cells. Autophagy is initiated when an abnormal amount of proteins or toxins build up within a cell, which the cell cannot clear out. Conditions like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease arise when autophagic mechanisms within the cells start malfunctioning. Impaired autophagy is also known to be implicated in driving various forms of cancer.

Reference

Firli Rahmah Primula Dewi, Shabierjiang Jiapaer, Akiko Kobayashi, Masaharu Hazawa, Dini Kurnia Ikliptikawati, Hartono, Hemragul Sabit, Mitsutoshi Nakada, and Richard W. Wong. "Nucleoporin TPR (translocated promoter region, nuclear basket protein) upregulation alters MTOR-HSF1 trails and suppresses autophagy induction in ependymoma", Autophagy. Published online 24March2020.

DOI 10.1080/15548627.2020.1741318.

About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/

Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases.

About Kanazawa University

http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/

As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.

The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.

Further information

Hiroe Yoneda Vice Director of Public AffairsWPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)Kanazawa UniversityKakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, JapanEmail: nanolsi-office@adm.kanazawa-u.ac.jp Tel: +81-(76)-234-4550

SOURCE Kanazawa University

Read the original:
Kanazawa University Research: Insights into the Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Cancer in Children - PR Newswire UK

Image Credit:Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock.com

Silver is a well-known antimicrobial and antibacterial agent, and is most commonly used in its bulk forms as silver ions or silver salts. However, because nanoforms are known to be more active than their bulk counterparts, silver nanoparticles have been trialed in several commercial products, and are showing a great deal of promise.

There is also a need to find new methods to combat microbes as bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antimicrobial products. Using silver nanoparticles is one of these new methods.

It is thought that silver nanoparticles are effective because they can adhere to the outer membrane of the microbe, and then produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radical species after penetrating the membrane. This subsequently interferes with the signaling pathways of the microbes, causing their basic function to be disrupted.

While the effects of silver nanoparticles on microbes are well-known, the exact mechanisms are not.

The exact mechanism by which the nanoparticle adheres to the outer membrane of the microbe is not yet known, although it is thought that lipopolysaccharide molecules and membrane proteins cause irregularities in the outer membrane, changing its permeability.

The exact mechanism for free radical formation and cellular degradation is also not entirely known, though one of the most common theories is that free radicals form on the surface of the nanoparticles in an uncontrolled manner. The free radicals then permeate through the pores of the microbes membrane and attack the lipids within the membrane. This, in turn, causes the membrane to break down, causing the microbe to die.

There are many different factors that affect the physiochemical principles of the silver nanoparticlessuch as size, shape, surface charge, concentration and colloidal statewhich in turn affect how effective it is at killing microbes. Silver nanoparticles are less reactive than silver ions, making them potentially suitable for therapeutic applications against multi-drug resistant bacteria, as well as in different antimicrobial surfaces.

As it stands, many different microbes can be disrupted by silver nanoparticles by either reducing their ability to multiply or by destroying them, including harmful bacteria such as E. Coli. More evidence will likely be found on how silver nanoparticles affect different microbes in future research.

Ensuring the use of silver nanoparticles in the long-term is reliant on them being safe as consumer products. Therefore they need to not only be effective against microbes, but they need to be ineffective in human cells.

Silver nanoparticles are widely used in packaging applications, including food and paints, across the US and many countries within Asia. Even though they are used in everything from food wrap to baby bottles, there is still some ambiguity regarding their toxicity to humans.

Studies show that the effects on the body range from nil to moderate toxicity, and the migration studies from where they are embedded also show differing results. It is thought that silver nanoparticles may have a low accumulation rate, and may only be toxic at high concentrations. More evidence is needed to be conclusive, while they will likely continue to be used as antimicrobial and antibacterial agents in the foreseeable future.

Martirosyan A. and Schneider Y-J. (2014) Engineered Nanomaterials in Food: Implications for Food Safety and Consumer Health, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110605720.

McClements D. J. and Xiao H. (2017) Establishing the factors impacting the gastrointestinal fate and toxicity of organic and inorganic food-grade nanoparticles npj Science of Food DOI: 10.1038/s41538-017-0005-1

Dakal T. C. et al (2016) Mechanistic Basis of Antimicrobial Actions of Silver Nanoparticles Frontiers in Microbiology DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01831

Kim J-S. et al (2017) Antimicrobial effects of silver nanoparticles Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2006.12.001

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

More:
Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Microbes - AZoNano

Xiaoyi Zhang, 1, 2 Yixin Zhang, 1, 2 Yaonan Wang, 1, 2 Jianhui Wu, 1, 2 Haiyan Chen, 1, 2 Ming Zhao, 13 Shiqi Peng 1, 2

1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, Peoples Republic of China; 2Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, Peoples Republic of China; 3Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100026, Peoples Republic of China

Correspondence: Shiqi Peng; Ming ZhaoDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Youanmenwaixitoutiao, Fengtai District, Beijing 100069, Peoples Republic of ChinaTel +86 10 8391 1528; +86 10 8391 1535Fax +86 10 8391 1528; +86 10 8391 1533Email sqpeng@bjmu.edu.cn; maozhao@126.com

Background: 1-(4-isopropylphenyl)--carboline-3-carboxylic acid (ICCA) was modified by Trp-Phe-Phe to form 1-(4-isopropylphenyl)--carboline-3-carbonyl-Trp-Phe-Phe (ICCA-WFF).Purpose: The object of preparing ICCA-WFF was to enhance the in vivo efficacy of ICCA, to explore the possible targeting action, and to visualize the nano-feature.Methods: The advantages of ICCA-WFF over ICCA were demonstrated by a series of in vivo assays, such as anti-tumor assay, anti-arterial thrombosis assay, anti-venous thrombosis assay, P-selectin expression assay, and GPIIb/IIIa expression assay. The nano-features of ICCA-WFF were visualized by TEM, SEM and AFM images. The thrombus targeting and tumor-targeting actions were evidenced by FT-MS spectrum analysis.Results: The minimal effective dose of ICCA-WFF slowing tumor growth and inhibiting thrombosis was 10-fold lower than that of ICCA. ICCA-WFF, but not ICCA, formed nano-particles capable of safe delivery in blood circulation. In vivo ICCA-WFF, but not ICCA, can target thrombus and tumor. In thrombus and tumor, ICCA-WFF released Trp-Phe-Phe and/or ICCA.Conclusion: Modifying ICCA with Trp-Phe-Phe successfully enhanced the anti-tumor activity, improved the anti-thrombotic action, formed nano-particles, targeted tumor tissue and thrombus, and provided an oligopeptide modification strategy for heterocyclic compounds.

Keywords: ICCA, modification, Trp-Phe-Phe, anti-tumor, thrombus targeting, release, toxicity, nano-species

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

See the original post:
Modifying ICCA with Trp-Phe-Phe to Enhance in vivo Activity and Form N | IJN - Dove Medical Press

Phages, viruses that thrive by infecting bacteria, have long been mooted as a potential replacement for antibiotics. But where antibiotics pose the problem of the bacteria they target mutating into dangerous resistant strains, phages pose risks due to their own fast-paced evolution, though those risks are poorly understood.

But new research suggests it may be possible to mitigate those risks. Left to nature, particular phages are able to seek out and destroy particular types of bacteria. But here its only the seeking that the researchers are interested in, using the phages to deliver a payload of gold nanorods which, with the help of light, destroy both the target bacteria and their phages at once. If youll forgive the grim analogy, you can think of the phage as the guidance system and the nanorods the warhead of this particular antibacterial guided missile.

What we did was to conjugate the phages to gold nanorods, UC Santa Barbaras Irene Chen explains in a press release. If you thought conjugation was something that happened only to verbs, dont panic: it can also simply mean to join or couple. When these nanorods are photo-excited, they translate the energy from light to heat, and that creates very high local temperatures.

The so-called phanorod combinations of nanorods and phages were added to in-vitro cultures of mammal cells with an added bacteria biofilm. They were then exposed to light in near-infrared wavelengths to cause the all-important photo-excitement. The resulting heat kills both the bacteria and the phage.

In experiments, the phanorods successfully destroyed the potent human pathogens E. coli, P. aeruginosa and V. cholerae. Its important to note that the phanorods also destroyed 20 percent of the mammal cells in the culture, which the research categorizes as a low rate of damage.

This issue of whether it damages mammalian tissues is very important, Chen explains. Work in nanotechnology and nanomedicine treating bacterial infections indicates that when its non-targeted, it really does burden the surrounding tissues.

As well as the unpredictable nature of unchecked phage evolution, there are other issues with their historical use. They can potentially carry toxins, and its hard to gauge the success of the treatment. You might see it completely work or you might see it completely fail, but you dont have the kind of dose response you want, Chen explains. But this new controlled approach to phage therapy could potentially mitigate these issues as well.

The teams research will go on to look at more phages to target more types of bacteria, as well as exploring photothermal methods to treat several bacterial infections at once. However, the work is very much at the research stage, and theres no suggestion of clinical use at this stage.

The teams research was published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Its free to read online.

Sources: UC Santa Barbara, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

View post:
Controlled phage therapy hints at future alternative to antibiotics - New Atlas

As humans continue to pump more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, concerns about global warming and climate change continue to grow. But what if that CO2 could be turned into a source of energy? One startup in Kyoto has developed cutting-edge nano-materials that could trap atmospheric CO2 and harness it as a power source. Its one way that Japans ancient capital is harnessing its large scientific and biomedical potential to address environmental and social problems.

Panning for invisible gold

Porous coordination polymers can be a form of carbon-capture technology, says discoverer Susumu Kitagawa, second from left, with (left to right) Atomis CTO Masakazu Higuchi, CEO Daisuke Asari, R&D officer Kenji Sumida, and COO Dai Kataoka.

Atomis is a new materials company that was spun off from Kyoto University Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS). Founded in 2015 following government-supported research, its business is based on studies led by Susumu Kitagawa, a professor and the director of iCeMS.

Its core technology is the production of materials comprising extremely small void spaces that can trap gases, including CO2. A breakthrough discovery in 1997 by Kitagawa, who has been considered a contender for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, these porous coordination polymers (PCPs, aka metal-organic frameworks) have enormous potential as tools to precisely control gases.

Humans have used the principle behind PCPs for thousands of years. They work the same way that a hunk of charcoal traps ambient odor molecules in its large surface area, but PCPs are many times more powerful. To the naked eye, PCPs look like powders, pellets or granules of various colors, shapes and sizes. But if you were to zoom in, you would see that PCPs are sponge-like materials with pores the size of a nanometer, or one billionth of a meter. They can be designed as scaffoldlike 3D structures from metals and organic ligands, and can be used for storage, separation and conversion of molecules.

These materials are unique in that we can design the shapes and chemical properties of the pores to suit specific applications, and some of the materials have flexible structures, which can potentially provide them with even more advanced features, says Daisuke Asari, president and CEO of Atomis. The company is basically the only business in Japan working with these materials in an industrial context. Collaborating with Kitagawa is a big advantage over foreign rivals, adds Kenji Sumida, executive officer for R&D.

One challenge related to these nanomaterials is that its difficult and costly to produce more than a few kilograms per day. Massively scaling production so that PCPs can be used to fight climate change is one reason that Atomis was founded, says Atomis founder and CTO Masakazu Higuchi, one of Kitagawas collaborators. The firm is developing solid-state techniques and making capital investments to increase PCP production capacity. Meanwhile, Atomis has developed products that harness the groundbreaking potential of PCPs, including Cubitan, a compact and lightweight gas cylinder for industrial and consumer use packed with smart features, such as the ability to notify users when the amount of reserve gas becomes low.

When viewed without special equipment, PCPs look like powders, pellets or granules of various colors, shapes and sizes, but they are sponge-like materials with countless pores the size of a nanometer.

Kitagawa has his sights on the bigger picture. He believes PCPs can be used as a form of carbon-capture technology, allowing the synthesis of methanol, an energy source. Thats why he calls CO2 invisible gold.

In ancient China, Taoist mystics were said to live in the mountains and survive simply on mist, which consists of water, oxygen and CO2, says Kitagawa. They were taking something valueless and using it for energy. Similarly, PCPs can control gases that humans cannot use and turn them into something beneficial, for instance absorbing CO2 in the air and turning into methanol and other hydrocarbon materials.

Building a regenerative medicine Silicon Valley

Atomis is one of many science startups in Kyoto that have benefitted from collaborative research between industry and government. Its part of a growing startup industry in Japan, where total funding for new companies reached a record high of 388 billion yen in 2018, up from 64.5 billion yen in 2012, according to Japan Venture Research. One driver for this expansion is science and technology discoveries.

While it may be known for its traditional culture, Kyoto has a strong pedigree in scientific research. It is home to 38 universities and about 150,000 students, which form a large pool of institutional knowledge, experience and talent. Many recent Nobel laureates either graduated from or taught at Kyoto University, including professors Tasuku Honjo and Shinya Yamanaka, who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2018 and 2012, respectively. Working on discoveries by Yamanaka, Megakaryon has become a world leader in creating artificial blood platelets made from synthetic stem cells.Theres also a large group of high-tech companies that have carved out niches for themselves internationally.

Kyoto is a unique city in that it has an independent spirit that is similar to the U.S. West Coast, says Eiichi Yamaguchi, a professor at Kyoto University who has founded four companies.

Kyoto companies like Murata Manufacturing, Horiba, Shimadzu, and Kyocera have a global market and theyre competing with China, says Eiichi Yamaguchi, a professor at Kyoto University who has founded four companies. Thats the difference with companies in Tokyo, which are more domestically oriented.

Yamaguchi has authored several books on innovation, and says there is a growing awareness of the importance of collaborative research and entrepreneurship in Kyoto. He cites a recently formed cooperative group of seven university chairpersons and presidents from leading materials and biosciences companies that meets to discuss issues such as fostering new technologies, for instance building high-speed hydrogen fueling systems.

Kyoto is a unique city in that it has an independent spirit that is similar to the U.S. West Coast, says Yamaguchi. Kyoto is only a fraction of the size of Tokyo, but if you take a stand here, people will pay attention.

Another group that is promoting local high-tech business is Innovation Hub Kyoto. Its an open innovation facility based in the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine aimed at commercializing research from the university. Steps away from Kyotos historic Kamo River, its geared to researchers, investors, startups, and established companies working in the field of medical innovation including device development and drug discovery. This is where Japanese researchers are trying to build a Silicon Valley of regenerative medicine.

Tenants at Innovation Hub Kyoto can use this wet lab for research.

Part of the Kyoto University Medical Science and Business Liaison Organization, the hub was established about 15 years ago and opened a new building in 2017 with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The structure has a variety of labs, including ones meeting biosafety level P2 and for animal experiments.

Its tough for startups in Japan to access to animal laboratories like the one we have, says hub leader Yutaka Teranishi, a professor in the Graduate School of Medicine who estimates that some 50% of university researchers want to work with industry, up from 10% a few years ago. Were focused on university startups because its very difficult for them to develop drugs from just an alliance between companies and universities.

About 28 companies are tenants at Innovation Hub Kyoto. They include major brands such as Shimadzu and Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim as well as younger businesses. One is AFI, founded in 2013 and focused on fluid, electric filtering and sorting (FES) technology that can be used for applications ranging from food safety inspections to rapid diagnosis of disease to regenerative medicine.

Tomoko Bylund heads the Japan office of CELLINK, a Swedish bioprinting and bioink company that is a tenant at Innovation Hub Kyoto.

Another tenant is CELLINK, a Swedish bioprinting and bioink company headed in the Japan by Tomoko Bylund. Using its products, researchers can print body parts with human cells for drug and cosmetics testing. In 2019, the first 3D print of a human cornea in the U.S. was accomplished with the companys BIO X Bioprinter.

iHeart Japan is also a tenant. It was established in 2013 as a regenerative medicine business and is aiming to address a major shortage in the Japanese medical system: only about 40 out of 200,000 people on national waiting lists can receive donor hearts every year. The company is developing innovative medical products such as multi-layered cardiac cell sheets derived from synthetic stem cells. The Hub basis its success in fostering companies on its diversity and the business environment in Kyoto.

We have people from different backgrounds here who are exchanging cultures and experimental results, and this diversity is powering innovation here, says Teranishi. There are many traditional industries in Kyoto, and though people say its a conservative city, these companies have survived because theyre open to new technologies and have taken the time to choose which ones can help them. Thats how this city and its businesses have lasted for more than 1,000 years.

Diversity is powering innovation here, says Yutaka Teranishi, center, head of Innovation Hub Kyoto, with Kyoto University professor Hirokazu Yamamoto, left, and Graduate School of Medicine lecturer Taro Yamaguchi, right.

To learn more about Atomis, click here.

To learn more about Innovation Hub Kyoto, click here.

Read more here:
How Kyoto Is Rebuilding Itself As A Nanotech And Regenerative Medicine Powerhouse - Forbes

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Clene Nanomedicine, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announcedthe dosing of the first patient enrolled in the Phase 2 REPAIR-MS study with its lead nanocatalytic therapy, CNM-Au8, for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

"The objective of the open-label, investigator-blinded REPAIR-MS study is to demonstrate improvements in brain bioenergetic metabolism in multiple sclerosis patients treated with CNM-Au8. Participants will undergo 31phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) imaging to show how treatment with CNM-Au8 results in bioenergetic improvement of impaired neuronal redox state," said Robert Glanzman, MD, FAAN, Clene's Chief Medical Officer.

"We are excited to advance CNM-Au8 clinically into our second Phase 2 study for MS patients," said Rob Etherington, President and CEO of Clene. "Our preclinical data with CNM-Au8 demonstrated improvements in cellular bioenergetics, specifically within neurons and oligodendrocytes, which led to the initiation of the VISIONARY-MS Phase 2 study and now the REPAIR-MS Phase 2 trial. Currently, there are no therapies approved for remyelination and we believe CNM-Au8 has the strong potential for myelin repair and protection of neurons in patients with MS, which affects more than 2.5 million individuals worldwide and is one of the most common neurological disorders."

About REPAIR-MS

REPAIR-MS is Phase 2 single-center open label, sequential group, investigator blinded study examining the brain metabolic effects, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of CNM-Au8 in patients who have been diagnosed with MS within 15 years of screening. Participants drink about 2 oz. dose (60 mL) of the nanocrystal suspension daily each morning for 12 weeks. The objective of this study is to advance pharmacologic understanding of CNM-Au8 treatment effects on central nervous system biomarkers related to bioenergetics, neuronal metabolism, and oxidative stress, as indicators of target engagement for CNM-Au8 in patients with MS. The study is taking place at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and is being led by Benjamin Greenberg, MD, an internationally recognized expert in treating rare autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system.

About CNM-Au8

CNM-Au8 is a concentrated, aqueous suspension of clean-surfaced faceted nanocrystalline gold (Au) that acts catalytically to support important intracellular biological reactions. CNM-Au8 consists solely of gold atoms organized into faceted, geometrical crystals held in suspension in sodium bicarbonate buffered, pharmaceutical grade water. CNM-Au8 has demonstrated safety in Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteersand both remyelination and neuroprotection effects in multiple preclinical models. Preclinical data presented at scientific congresses demonstrated treatment with CNM-Au8 in neuronal cultures improved survival of dopaminergic neurons, protected neurite networks, decreased intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species, and improved mitochondrial capacity in response to cellular stress, induced by multiple disease-relevant neurotoxins. Oral treatment with CNM-Au8 restored functional behaviors in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease. CNM-Au8 has received regulatory approval to proceed to clinical studies for the treatment of remyelination failure in patients with multiple sclerosis and neuroprotection in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) and Parkinson's disease.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms vary from person to person and range from numbness and tingling, to walking difficulties, fatigue, dizziness, pain, depression, blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. A recent study led by the National MS Society estimates that nearly 1 million people are living with MS in the United States; twice as many than previously thought.

About Clene

Clene Nanomedicine, Inc. is a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of unique therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. Clene has innovated a novel nanotechnology drug platform for the development of a new class of orally-administered neurotherapeutic drugs. Founded in 2013, the company is based in Salt Lake City, Utah with R&D and manufacturing operations located in North East, Maryland. For more information, please visit http://www.clene.com.

Investor ContactKaitlyn BroscoThe Ruth Group646-536-7032kbrosco@theruthgroup.com

Media Contact Kirsten ThomasThe Ruth Group508-280-6592kthomas@theruthgroup.com

SOURCE Clene Nanomedicine, Inc.

Home

The rest is here:
Clene Nanomedicine Announces First Patient Dosed in the REPAIR-MS Clinical Trial for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Lead Nanocatalytic...

Avi Schroeders lab at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology is tiny but mighty. Thirty researchers crowd it daily, covering areas such as biology, chemistry, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and even mechanical engineering. The lab is part of the chemical engineering faculty, but the researchers here were handpicked from different departments to serve the labs interdisciplinary mission. The content of the multitude of test tubes here could one day result in life-saving medication for a variety of conditions. Until then, the lab has already birthed several innovations that matured into business ventures: Schroeder and his team are involved in four such companies based on the labs scientific breakthroughs, ranging from using elephant protein to cure cancer to personalizing chemotherapy.

View post:
God Willing, He Will Cure Cancer, and Shrimp - CTech

APRIL 4, 2019:

NANOBIOTIX ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER RADIOENHANCER

TO RECEIVE EUROPEAN MARKET APPROVAL

NANOMEDICINE

FOR BETTER AND LONGER LIFE

Watch our

R&D Day

Experts

Dr. David Raben, MD University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USADr. Tanguy Seiwert, MD University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USADr. Colette Shen, MD, PhD University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USADr. Jared Weiss, MD University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USADr. James Welsh, MD MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

NANOXRAY

A FIRST-IN-CLASS RADIOENHANCER

A FIRST-IN-CLASSRADIOENHANCER

WE WORK TO PROVIDE

INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS TO HELP PATIENTS

TO LIVE LONGER AND BETTER.

COLETTE, CLINICAL TEAM

I WORK FOR LIFE.

CLINE, DISCOVERY TEAM

WE FIGHT FOR

MEANINGFUL GOALS TOGETHER.

ALY, FINANCE TEAM

NANOMEDICINE IS MORE THAN EVOLUTION,

ITS A REVOLUTION!

REGIS, MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY TEAM

ENTHUSIASM,

FAITH IN NANOMEDICINE

AND LOVE FOR INNOVATION!

JULIE, DISCOVERY TEAM

NANOMEDICINEFOR BETTER AND LONGER LIFE

Nanobiotix announces first ever radioenhancerto receive European market approval

MEET US AT:ESTRO 2019, Milan

QUICK SELECT OR SCROLL DOWN

Read more:
Nanobiotix a nanomedicine company

CLINAM FoundationThe goal of the CLINAM Foundation is to contribute to the benefit of patients and society by exploring and translating leading edge technologies towards clinical application, with an emphasis on nanomedicine, targeted medicine, precision medicine and personalization. The summit keeps its tradition to build bridges from the enabling technologies to clinical application for major and neglected diseases. There is broad support for this summit by many collaborating institutions.

Scientific Committee Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Hunziker, University Hospital Basel (CH) (chairman) Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Alexiou, Head, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON),Else Krner-Fresenius-Foundation Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen (D) Prof. Dr. Lajos Balogh, Editor-in-Chief, Precision Nanomedicine Journal, North Andover, MA (USA) Prof. Dr. Gerd Binnig, Nobel Laureate, Munich (D) Prof. Dr. Yechezkel Barenholz, Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem (IL) Prof. Dr. med. Omid Farokhzad, Director, Center for Nanomedicine, Harvard Medical Schooland Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA (USA) Prof. Dr. Twan Lammers, Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen (D) Prof. Dr. med. Dong Soo Lee, PhD, Chair, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul NationalUniversity, Seoul (KOR) Dr. med. h.c. Beat Lffler, MA, CEO, CLINAM-Foundation, Basel (CH) (contents and programme) Prof. Dr. med. Marisa Papaluca, European Medicines Agency (EMA), London (UK) Prof. Dr. Gert Storm, Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht (NL) Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Viola Vogel, Head, Department of Health Sciences and Technology Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, ETH Zrich (CH)

IntroductionThe CLINAM Summit is a globally unique event that brings together all stakeholders in nanomedicine, targeted medicine and precision medicine. It builds on the principle that fundamental scientists, developers and profes-sionals in clinical application and all to nanomedicine related persons can mutually learn from each other to find better solutions for the medicine of the future. Based on recent groundbreaking achievements, the meeting will be a highlight to explore the pathways to personalized medicine and highlight its potential for prevention, diagnosis, therapy by development of tools, materials and strategies for this young field. CLINAM is thus evolving toward its role as the international meeting forum for interdisciplinary fields of cutting edge medicine. CLINAM will again welcome the participants from the community of nanomedicine, targeted drug delivery and precision medicine and bring together the pioneers and worldwide opinion leaders, not only to learn and discuss but also to develop new ideas, create new collaborative projects and shape the future of medicine. Senior scientists enlighten young researchers and students with their long experience and expertise. The summit expects again about 500 participants from more than 35 countries that make use of the role of the CLINAM Foundation as the nonprofit service provider for novel nanomedicine, targeted delivery and precision medicine. CLINAM BASEL welcomes you and wishes you three days of great science, great contacts and high level wellbeing with cultural elements in the evenings.CLINAM is the worldwide melting pot in the field of nanomedicine, targeted delivery and precision medicine. Meet in Basel at a high-level communication platform where you find those striving for the development in all fields of renewing medicine.

Target AudienceThe faculty includes the pioneers and opinion leaders in the fields of medicine, nanoscience and targeted medicine, who share experience in an interdisciplinary and interactive manner that widens mutual understanding for both sides. The summit and the exhibition are aimed at physicians, as well as nonscientists with a background in pharmacology, biology, physics, chemistry, biophysics, medicine, materials science and engineering. The meeting is a particularly useful source of knowledge for the targeted medicine and delivery community. The conference is also of interest for members of the regulatory authorities as well as policymakers, experts from industry in the field of life sciences, developers of new tools and materials for nanomedicine, and all those investigating the potential of emerging technologies in the field of healthcare. Experts from venture companies can acquire knowledge on existing and upcoming developments and novel products in the emerging field of nanomedicine and knowledge based medicine. Government authorities can profit from the regulators international sessions.Visa for Switzerland Embassy Appointment minimum 6 weeks before travelling!Before registering, check Visa-Regulations for Switzerland: Participants with visa-need for entering Switzerland have to make their appointment with the Swiss Embassy 6 weeks before the Summit in their country in order to make an application and to acquire a visa. All concerned will ask us in a mail to send an official invitation letter, which you will have to present at the embassy. For this we need your statement of nationality, full address, periapt address, passport number, date of birth.

Registration for the Summit: clinam18.viva-events.ch

CLINAM Exhibition:Profit of ExhibitingExhibitors at the CLINAM Summit profit from meeting their potential clients in one spot since CLINAM is presently the worlds largest summit on Clinical Nanomedicine with 500+ participants in need of toolmakers findings, knowledge and their devices. SMEs and small Start-up companies have the chance to showcase their skills at an affordable price and to meet ALL STAKEHOLDERS in the field of nanomedicine, targeted delivery and precision medicine. This is a Foyer exhibition at low exhibitors rate. All breaks and catering for lunches take place in midst of the CLINAM marketplace. Start-up booths are given to companies that are less than 3 years in active development.

Regular Fees Booking online: clinam18.viva-events.chFloor Space (350 /m2) 6 m2 2'100.00 (minimum)8 m2 2'800.00 12 m2 4000.00 (Maximum is 36 m2) Company name A3 on pillar 100 1 table, 2 chairs, 1 pin board for poster & power connection 200 Exhibitors Ticket for Conference Exhibitors multi-user-badge 800 Booth Construction on demand

Special Start-up Booth4 m2, 1 table, 2 chairs, pillar, power connection, 1 pin board and 1 registration(Upon application, company less than 3 years active) 1650.00

Summit VenueCongress Center Basel Messeplatz 21 CH-4021 Basel, Switzerland Phone +41 58 206 28 28This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Registration OfficeViva Management GmbH Kramgasse 16C -3011 Bern, Switzerland Phone +41 31 311 74 34This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Organizers Oce European Foundation forClinical Nanomedicine (CLINAM) Alemannengasse 12CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland Phone +41 61 695 93 95This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Exhibitors at CLINAM 11/2018 (Status June) Izon Science Europe Ltd. Nacamed Resistell AG Precision Nanomedicine PRNANO Deutsche Plattform Nano Biomedizin Particle Metrix GmbH SiBreaX AG Precision NanoSystems, Inc. Polymun Scientific GmbH Lipoid AG Seroscience Ltd. InnoMedica AG ESNAM, edinethics TECOmedical AG Aseptic Technologies S.A. EVA - the Basel Life Sciences Start-up Agency/BASEL INKUBATOR CIBER-BBN Cordouan Technologies

Sponsors of the 11th European and Global Summit for Clinical Nanomedicine, Targeted Delivery and Precision Medicine The Building Blocks to Personalized Medicine

The European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine is a non-profit institution aiming at advancing medicine to the benefit of individuals and society through the application of nanoscience. Aiming at prevention, diagnosis, and therapy through nanomedicine as well as at exploration of its implications, the Foundation reaches its goals through support of clinically focussed research and of interaction and information flow between clinicians, researchers, the public, and other stakeholders. The recognition of the large future impact of nanoscience on medicine and the observed rapid advance of medical applications of nanoscience have been the main reasons for the creation of the Foundation.Nanotechnology for MedicineNanotechnology is generally considered as the key technology of the 21st century. It is an interdisciplinary scientific field focusing on methods, materials, and tools on the nanometer scale, i.e. one millionth of a millimeter. The application of this science to medicine seeks to benefit patients by providing prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment for prevalent, for disabling, and for currently incurable medical conditions.

See the original post:
11th European and Global Summit for Clinical Nanomedicine ...

About Us

2nd,International Conference and Exhibition on Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery May 21-23, 2018 Tokyo, Japan

ConferenceSeries Ltdis a renowned organization that organizes highly notablePharmaceutical Conferencesthroughout the globe. Currently we are bringing forth2ndInternational Conference on Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery(NanoDelivery 2018) scheduled to be held duringMay 21-23, 2018 at Tokyo, Japan. The conferenceinvites all the participants across the globe to attend and share their insights and convey recent developments in the field of Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery.

ConferenceSeries Ltdorganizes aconference seriesof 1000+ Global Events inclusive of 1000+ Conferences, 500+ Upcoming and Previous Symposiums and Workshops in USA, Europe & Asia with support from 1000 more scientificsocietiesand publishes 700+Open access Journalswhich contains over 50000 eminent personalities, reputed scientists as editorial board members.

2018 Highlights:

Nanomedicine and drugdelivery will account for 40% of a $136 billion nanotechnology-enabled drug delivery market by 2021. We forecast the total market size in 2021 to be US$136 billion, with a 60/40 split between nano medicine and drug delivery respectively, although developing new targeted delivery mechanisms may allow more value to be created for companies and entrepreneurs.

However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a faster CAGR owing to presence of high unmet healthcare needs, research collaborations and increase in nanomedicine research funding in emerging economies such as Japan, China, India and other economies in the region. Japan is expected to surpass the United States in terms of nanotechnology funding in the near future, which indicates the growth offered by this region.This conference seeks to showcase work in the area of Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery Systems, and nanotechnology, Nanobiothechnology, particularly related to drug delivery.

For More PS:https://nanomedicine.pharmaceuticalconferences.com/

(Click here for any queries)

Nanomedicine and drugdelivery can address one of the greatest challenges in the post-genomic era of the 21st century making the essential connections between Academics and industry professionals.

To meet these challenges, the field of Nanomedicine and drugdelivery has undergone exponential growth during the last 5 years. Technologies such as Personalized Nanomedicine, Design of Nanodrugs, Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery, Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering, Nanomedicines and Biomedical applications, Nanomaterials for drug delivery, Regulatory Aspects Towards Approval of Nanomedicine, NanoPharmaceutical, Industry and Market processing and drug delivery promise to transform the world of Advanced nanomedicines and drug delivery much in the same way that integrated and transformed the world of pharmaceutical sciences.

Nanodelivery 2018 has everything you need:

Open panel discussions: Providing an open forum with experts from academia and business to discuss on current challenges in nanomedicine and drug delivery, where all attendees can interact with the panel followed by a Q&A session.

Speaker and poster presentations: Providing a platform to all academicians and industry professionals to share their research thoughts and findings through a speech or a poster presentation.

Editorial board meeting: Discussing on growth and development of open access Nanomedicine and drugdelivery International Journals and recruiting board members and reviewers who can support the journal.

Round table meetings: Providing a platform where industry professionals meet academic experts.

Over 50+ organizations and international pavilions will be exhibiting at the Nanodelivery 2018 conference and Exhibition. Exhibitors will include equipment manufacturers and suppliers, systems providers, finance and investment firms, R&D companies, project developers, trade associations, and government agencies.

In addition to the products and services you will see at the Nanodelivery Exhibition, you will have access to valuable content, including Keynote Presentations, Product Demonstrations and Educational Sessions from todays industry leaders.

The Nanodelivery 2018 has everything you need, all under one roof, saving you both time and money. It is the event you cannot afford to miss!

Who's Coming to Nanodelivery 2018?

Nanomedicine:

Nanomedicineis the medical application ofnanotechnology, nanomedicineranges from the medical applicationsofnanomaterialsandbiological devices, to nanoelectronicbiosensors, and even possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology such asbiological machines.

Nanomedicine : Future Nanomedicine:

We can say that nanomedicine is ourfuture medicine.The usage ofNanomedicine in drug deliverycan unlock the way to cure many life threatening diseases. For examplesnanomedicine in cancer treatment,Nanomedicine for blood disorders,Nanomedicine for Lung Diseases, Nanomedicine for Cardiovascular Diseases. This includesFuture aspects of Nanomedicine,nanobots,nanodrugs.

Nanomedicine research group:

This is only possible by the grace and smart work of thenanomedicine research groupfrom all over the world.Nanomedicine coursesare taught in theuniversities all over the world.They also providepostdoctoral fellowship opportunity in nanomedicine.So we can say thatfuture of nanomedicineshines brightly .

Nanomedicine Market:

Nanomedicinecan be explained as theapplication ofnanotechnologytoachieveinnovation in healthcare.Theglobal nanomedicine marketis anticipatedto reach USD 350.8 billion by2025.This includes:Scope of Nanomedicine,Novel Drugs to NanoDrugs,Nanodrugs for Herbal medicinesand Cosmetics

Nanomedicine in Cancer:

A wide range of new tools and possibilities is already achieved incancer treatments using Nanotechnology, fromdiagnosingit earlier to improvedimagingfortargeted therapies.This includes Nanomedicine for other disease,Nanomedicine for Cardiovascular Diseases,Nanodrugs for Cancer Therapy

New formulations:

Nanomedicines are three-dimensional constructs of multiple components with preferred spatial arrangements for their functions.This includesNano Sized Drugs,Nanodrugs for Veterinary Therapeutics,Nanodrugs for Medical applications,Formulation and Development.

Emergence of Nanomedicines:

Extensive multidisciplinary investigation in the field ofnanomedicine nanotechnology biology and medicinehas caused the emergence of Nanomedicine as promising carriers fordeliveryof diversetherapeutic moleculesto the targeted sites. This includesNanodrugs for Cancer Therapy,Nanodrugs for Veterinary Therapeutics,Nanodrugs for Medical applications.

VLPs:

VLPsare a viruses devoid ofgenetic materialand thus they cannotreplicate.This includesNanoMedicine in HIV,Drug targeting,Nanomedicine for Cancer.

Nanocarrier :

A nanocarriers are used as atransport modulefor adrug. Commonly usednanocarriersincludemicelles,polymers,carbon-based materials,liposomesandmany more.This includesnanoparticles,nanobots,nanodrugs.

Nanomedicine-History:

It was the extensive multidisciplinary investigation in the field ofnanomedicine nanotechnologybiology and medicinethat gave rise to thefuture medicinei.e.Nanomedicine. We know that nanotechnology is a recent development inscientific research,though the development of its central concepts happened over a longer period of time.This includesNanomedicine for other disease,Nanodrugs for Herbal medicines and Cosmetics

Biomedical nanotechnology:

Biomedical nanotechnologyincludes a diverse collection of disciplines.This includesCarbon Nanotubes,BiosensorsandNanobioelectronics,Nanobiomechanics and Nanomedicine.

Drug delivery systems:

Drug deliveryis theformulations,technologies, and systems for transporting apharmaceutical compoundinside the body safely to achieve itsdesired therapeutic effect.This includesLiposomes,Versatile Polymers In Drug Deivery,Drug Development

Toxicity:

Toxicityis the measure to which a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism.This includeGold Nanoparticles,Silver Nanoparticles,Magnetic Nanoparticles.

Xenobiotics:

Axenobioticis a chemical substances which is not produced naturally or expected to be found within an organism.This includesNano Micro Particles,BiosensorsandNanobioelectronics,Bio inspired materials and drug delivery

Pharmaceutical technology:

We can detect diseases at much earlier stages usingNano pharmaceuticals.Usingnanoparticles we can also design thediagnostic applicationsconventionally.This includesNanoliposome,Drug Targeting,Challenges and advances in NanoPharmaceuticals

Bioimaging:

Bioimagingare methods that non-invasively visualizebiological processesin real time.This includesImage-guided drug delivery,Imaging,Optical sensors

Imaging probe:

Molecular imaging probeis an agent used tovisualize, characterize and quantify biological processes in living systems .This includesOptical sensors,Smart Polymer Nanoparticles,NanomaterialsforImaging

Pharmaceutical compound:

The particular pharmaceutical product to fit the unique need of a patient can be made byPharmaceutical compounding.This includesChallenges and advances in Nano Pharmaceuticals,Nano Pharmaceuticalsfrom thebench to Scale up

Pulmonary delivery:

Pulmonary deliveryofdrughas become an attractive target and of tremendous scientific andbiomedical interestin thehealth care research.This includes Transmucosal Drug Delivery Systems, Sonophoresis Drug Delivery System, Hydrogel in Drug Delivery

Vascular disease:

Diseases of theblood Vessels can be related toVascular diseases.This includesovarian, breast cancer,kidney disease,fungal infections.

Tissue engineering:

The use of a tissue, engineering and materials methods, and suitablebiochemicalandphysicochemical factorsto improve or replacebiological tissues.This includesNeuro Regenerations,Organ fabrication,Cell-based therapies

Regenerative medicine:

Regenerative medicineis a broad field that includes tissue engineering but also incorporates onself-healing

Regenerative medicine- self healing:

Body uses its own systems, sometimes with help foreignbiological materialtorecreate cellsandrebuild tissuesand organs.This includeBiologic scaffolds,Bone Marrow Tissue Engineering,Mechanical properties of engineered tissues

Quantitative Imaging:

Quantitative imagingprovides clinicians with a more accurate picture of a disease state.This includesImage-guided drug delivery,Imaging,Optical sensors.

Tissue Sciences:

The internal organs and connective structures ofvertebrates, andcambium,xylem, andphloemin plants are made up of different types of tissue.This includesNeuro Regenerations,Bioreactor design,Bone Marrow Tissue Engineering.

Rational drug design:

Drug design, is simply the inventive process of findingnew medicationsbased on the knowledge of abiological targetThis includesNanodrugs for Cancer Therapy,Nanodrugs for Medical applications,Nano Sized Drugs

Drug target:

Biological targetcan be described as thenative proteinin the body , with modified activity by a drug resulting in a specific effect. The biological target is often referred to as a drug target.This includeDrug targeting,Image-guided drug delivery,target site

Drug resistance mechanism:

InDrug resistancethe effectiveness of amedicationis reduced such as anantimicrobialor anantineoplasticin curing a disease or condition.This includeschemotherapy,tumor-targeted drug delivery

Single molecule imaging:

Single-molecule studies may be contrasted with measurements on the bulk collection of molecules. In this individual behavior ofmoleculescannot be distinguished, and only average characteristics can be measured.This includeDrug targeting,Image-guided drug delivery,Imaging

Medicine:

Medicine can be explained as the science and practice of thediagnosis,treatment, andprevention of disease.This include Controledradical polymerization,Nanodrugs for Herbal medicinesandCosmetics,Nanomedicine for Gastrointestinal Tract (GI) Diseases.

Computer-Aided Diagnosis:

Computer-aided detection(CADe), are systems that help doctors in the interpretation ofmedical images.This includesImage-guided drug delivery,Optical sensors,BiosensorsandNanobioelectronics

Pharmacology:

Pharmacology is the study ofdrug action, where a drug can be broadly defined as any man-made, natural, or endogenousThis includesNanoliposome,Drug Targeting,Applied biopharmaceutics

Drug delivery industries:

Demand fordrug deliveryproducts in the US will rise 6.1 percent yearly to $251 billion in 2019. Parenteral products will grow the fastest, driven bymonoclonal antibodiesandpolymer-encapsulated medicines.Hormonesand central nervous system agents will lead gains by application.Pen injectorsand retractable prefillable syringes will pace devices.This includesBio Pharmaceutical Industry,Focus on Nanopharmaceuticals,Industrial Applications of Nano medicine.

Drug delivery market:

The drug delivery market is thelargest contributing applicationsegment, whereasbiomaterialsis the fastest growing application area in this market. Nanomedicine accounts for 77Marketed ProductsWorldwide, representing an Industry with an estimated market $130.9 Billion by 2016.This includesBio Pharmaceutical Industry,Focus on Nanopharmaceuticals,Industrial Applications of Nano medicine.

Nanomedicine Market Size:

Theglobal nanomedicine marketis anticipated to reach USD 350.8 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Development ofnovel nanotechnology-based drugsandtherapiesis driven by the need to develop therapies that have fewer side effects and that are morecost-effectivethantraditional therapies, in particular for cancer.This includespharmaceutical industry,Up Coming Market for Nanotechnology,Focus on Nanopharmaceuticals.

Biodegradable implants:

Biodegradable implants offer a number of financial,psychological, andclinical advantagesoverpermanent metal implants.They provide the appropriate amount of mechanical strength when necessary, and degrade at a rate similar tonew tissue formation, thereby transferring the load safely to thehealed boneand eliminating the need for an additional revision and removal operation.This includesBiologic scaffolds,Biomaterials,Bone Marrow Tissue Engineering.

Nanomedicine industry:

Expecteddevelopments in nanoroboticsowing to therise in fundingfrom thegovernment organizationsis expected to induce potential to the market.Nanorobotics engineering projectsthat are attempting totarget the cancer cellswithout affecting the surrounding tissues is anticipated to drive progress through to 2025.This includesIndustrial Applications of Nano medicine,Nanotechnology tools in Pharmaceutical R&D,Bio Pharmaceutical Industry,Focus on Nanopharmaceuticals

Nanomedicine Market Drivers:

The major drivers of the nanomedicine market include its application in varioustherapeutic areas, increasingR&D studiesabout nanorobots in this segment, andsignificant investmentsinclinical trialsby the government as well as private sector. TheOncology segmentis the majortherapeutic areafornanomedicine application, which comprised more than 35% of the total market share in 2016.This includesAn Up and Coming Market for Nanotechnology,Nanomedicine: Prospects, Risks and Regulatory Issues,Current , Future Applications and Regulatory challenges.

Nanomedicine Market trends:

Thetherapeutic areas for nanomedicineapplication areOncology,is includesCurrent , Future Applications and Regulatory challenges,Regulatory Policies.

Nanomedicine Market Forecast:

Read the original:
Top Nanomedicine Conferences|DrugDelivery meetings ...

The program began in 2005 with a national network ofeight Nanomedicine Development Centers. Now, in the second half of this 10-year program, the four centers best positioned to effectively apply their findings to translational studies were selected to continue receiving support.

Nanomedicine, an offshoot of nanotechnology, refers to highly specific medical intervention at the molecular scale for curing disease or repairing damaged tissues, such as bone, muscle, or nerve. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, too small to be seen with a conventional lab microscope. It is at this size scale about 100 nanometers or less that biological molecules and structures operate in living cells.

The NIH vision for Nanomedicine is built upon the strengths of NIH funded researchers in probing and understanding the biological, biochemical and biophysical mechanisms of living tissues. Since the cellular machinery operates at the nanoscale, the primary goal of the program - characterizing the molecular components inside cells at a level of precision that leads to re-engineering intracellular complexes - is a monumental challenge.

The teams selected to carry out this initiative consist of researchers with deep knowledge of biology and physiology, physics, chemistry, math and computation, engineering, and clinical medicine. The choice and design of experimental approaches are directed by the need to solve clinical problems (e.g., treatment of sickle cell disease, blindness, cancer, and Huntingtons disease). These are very challenging problems, and great breakthroughs are needed to achieve the goals within the projected 10 year timeframe. The initiative was selected for the NIH Roadmap (now Common Fund) precisely because of the challenging, high risk goals, and the NIH team is working closely with the funded investigators to use the funds and the intellectual resources of the network of investigators to meet those challenges.

10 Year Program Design High Risk, High Reward

The Centers were funded with the expectation that the first half of the initiative would be more heavily focused on basic science with increased emphasis on application of this knowledge in the second five years. This was a novel, experimental approach to translational medicine that began by funding basic scientists interested in gaining a deep understanding of an intracellular nanoscale system and necessitated collaboration with clinicians from the outset in order to properly position work at the centers so that during the second half of the initiative, studies would be applied directly to medical applications. The program began witheight Nanomedicine Development Centers(NDCs), and four centers remain in the second half of the program.

Clinical Consulting Boards (CCBs)

The program has establishedClinical Consulting Boards (CCBs)for each of the continuing centers. These boards consist of at least three disease-specific clinician-scientists who are experts in the target disease(s). The intent is for CCBs to provide advice and insight into the needs and barriers regarding resource and personnel allocations as well as scientific advice as needed to help the centers reach their translational goals. Each CCB reports directly to the NIH project team.

Translational Path

In 2011, the PIs of the NDCs worked with their CCBs to precisely define their translational goals and the translational research path needed to reach those goals by the end of the initiative in 2015. To facilitate this, the NIH project team asked them to developcritical decision pointsalong their path. These critical decision points differ from distinct milestones because they may be adjusted based on successes, challenges, barriers, and progress. Similarly, the timing of these decision points may be revised as the centers progress. Research progress and critical decision points are revisited several times a year by the CCB and the NIH team, and when a decision point is reached, next steps are re-examined for relevance, feasibility and timing.

Transition plan

Throughout the program, various projects have been spun off of work at all the centers and most have received funding from other sources. This was by design as work at each center has been shifting from basic science to translational studies. Centers will not be supported by the common fund after 10 years. It is expected that work at the centers will be more appropriately funded by other sources. Pre-clinical targets will likely be developed, and the work at each center will be focused on a specific disease so the work will need to transition out of the experimental space of the common fund.

Support for the NIH Nanomedicine Initiative is provided by the NIH Common Fund, and a team of staff members from across the NIH oversees the program. You may direct questions or comments on the NIH Nanomedicine Initiative to Dr. Richard S. Fisher, Nanomedicine Project Team Leader (nano@nih.gov).

Go here to see the original:
Nanomedicine - Overview

Nanomedicine is defined as the medical application of nanotechnology. Nanomedicine can include a wide range of applications, including biosensors, tissue engineering, diagnostic devices, and many others. In the Center for Nanomedicine at Johns Hopkins, we focus on harnessing nanotechnology to more effectively diagnose, treat, and prevent various diseases. Our entire bodies are exposed to the medicines that we take, which can lead to unpleasant side effects and minimize the amount of medicine that reaches the places where it is needed. Medications can be more efficiently delivered to the site of action using nanotechnology, resulting in improved outcomes with less medication.

For example, treating cancer with current chemotherapy delivery techniques is like spraying an entire rose garden with poison in order to kill a single weed. It would be far more effective to spray a small amount of poison, directly on the weed, and save the roses. In this analogy, a cancer patients hair follicles, immune cells, and epithelia are the roses being poisoned by the chemotherapy. Using nanotechnology, we can direct the chemotherapy to the tumor and minimize exposure to the rest of the body. In addition, our nanotechnologies are more capable of bypassing internal barriers (see Technologies), further improving upon conventional nanotechnologies. Not only is our approach more effective at eradicating tumors (see Cancer under Research), but it also results in much higher quality of life for the patient.

Nanotechnology can also reduce the frequency with which we have to take our medications. Typically, the human body can very quickly and effectively remove medications, reducing the duration of action. For example, the current treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) requires monthly injections into the eye in a clinical setting. However, if the medication is slowly released from the inside of a nanoparticle, the frequency of injection can be reduced to once every 6 months (see Eye under Research). The nanoparticle itself also slowly biodegrades into components that naturally occur in the body, which are also removed from the body after the medication has done its job. This exciting technology is currently being commercialized and moved toward clinical trials (see Commercialization).

Nanomedicine will lead to many more exciting medical breakthroughs. Please explore our various nanotechnology platforms and the numerous areas in which we are pursuing nanomedicine-based medical solutions.

Link:
What is Nanomedicine? : Center for Nanomedicine

A team of scientists has developed a superthin electronic sensor that can attach directly to human skin technology that could be used in the fields of medicine, nursing and sports science.

The technology takes the form of a layer of fine mesh coated with gold. It is stretchable and light, allowing it to remain on the body comfortably without impeding the wearers physical movement.

Using this sensor, we tested measuring electromyogram, which is important in the field of sports, Takao Someya, a University of Tokyo professor who led the research team, told The Japan Times last week.

Conventional electromyography sensors are too bulky to be worn continuously, he said.

Its uncomfortable to put such a device on the skin, Someya said, referring to the conventional probes. On the other hand, the obvious merit (of the new device) is it records data naturally without interfering with the bodys motions.

The new sensors can attach to the skin with the application of a little water. When wet, a nanofiber film of biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol dissolves and only the conductor, which is about 100 nanometers thick, attaches to the skin.

The new sensor is an improvement over the teams 2013 prototype, which had a film 1 micrometer thick. While that is only about one-tenth the thickness of kitchen wrap, it still feels uncomfortable and blocks the skin from breathing, Someya said.

By contrast, the new device is breathable, he said. No rashes or other skin reactions were detected among 20 people who tested the device on their forearms for a week.

When attached to the fingers, the nanomesh maintained functionality even after bending and straightening about 10,000 times, he said.

The device can also measure body temperature and heart rate.

In the future, Someya said the team will work on increasing the durability of the technology and reducing its cost.

We invented (the device) with an eye toward mass production, Someya said, adding that all technical issues will hopefully be resolved in the next three or four years.

The team involved other researchers, including Masayuki Amagai of Keio University.

The research was published in Nature Nanotechnology on July 17.

Read more here:
Japan's scientists develop superthin nano sensors that may be the next big advance in wearable tech - The Japan Times

The report firstly introduced the Nanomedicine basics: definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview; industry policies and plans; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures and so on. Then it analyzed the worlds main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.

Download sample pages of this report: http://www.kminsights.com/request-sample-1892

Nanomedicine is a branch of medicine that applies the knowledge and tools of nanotechnology to the prevention and treatment of disease. Nanomedicine involves the use of nanoscale materials, such as biocompatible nanoparticles and nanorobots, for diagnosis, delivery, sensing or actuation purposes in a living organism.

The ongoing market trends of Nanomedicine market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.

Each and every segment type and their sub types are well elaborated to give a better idea about this market during the forecast period of 2017respectively.

Download sample pages of this report: http://www.kminsights.com/request-sample-1892

About Us:Key Market Insights is a stand-alone organization with a solid history of advancing and exchanging market research reports and logical surveys delivered by our numerous transnational accomplices, which incorporate both huge multinationals and littler, more expert concerns.

Contact:sales@kminsights.com+1 (888) 278-7681

More here:
Growth in Nanomedicine market-2017 trends, forecasts, analysis ... - satPRnews (press release)

The global nanomedicine market size was estimated at USD XX billion in 2017. Technological advancements coupled with relevant applications in early disease diagnosis, preventive intervention, and prophylaxis of chronic as well as acute disorders is expected to bolster growth in this market.

Nanotechnology involves the miniaturization of larger structures and chemicals at nanometric scale which has significantly revolutionized drug administration, thus influencing adoption of the technology through to 2022.

Download Sample Pages @www.kminsights.com/request-sample-33081

Expected developments in nanorobotics owing to the rise in funding from the government organizations is expected to induce potential to the market. Nanorobotics engineering projects that are attempting to target the cancer cells without affecting the surrounding tissues is anticipated to drive progress through to 2022.

Ability of the nanotechnology to serve in diagnostics as well as the therapeutic sector at the same time as a consequence of its characteristic principle to is anticipated to augment research in this sector. Furthermore, utilization of DNA origami for healthcare applications is attributive for the projected growth.

The global nanomedicine market is segmented based on modality, application, indication, and region. Based on application, it is classified into drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, vaccines, regenerative medicine, implants, and others.

On the basis of indication, it is categorized into oncological diseases, neurological diseases, urological diseases, infectious diseases, ophthalmological diseases, orthopedic disorders, immunological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and others. Based on modality, it is bifurcated into treatments and diagnostics.

This report studies sales (consumption) of Nanomedicine in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Benelux and Spain, focuses on top players in these countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Countries, the top player coveringAffilogicLTFNBergmannstrostGrupo PraxisBiotechrabbitBraccoMaterials Research?CentreCarlina technologiesChemConnectionCIC biomaGUNECIBER-BBNContiproCristal TherapeuticsDTIEndomagneticsFraunhofer ICT-IMMTecnaliaTeknikerGIMACIMDEAIstec CNRSwedNanoTechVicomtechVITO NV

The global market is driven by emerging technologies for drug delivery, increase in adoption of nanomedicine across varied applications, rise in government support & funding, growth in need for therapies with fewer side effects, and cost-effectiveness of therapies. However, long approval process and risks associated with nanomedicine (environmental impacts) restrain the market growth.

In addition, increase in out-licensing of nanodrugs and growth of healthcare facilities in emerging economies are anticipated to provide numerous opportunities for the market growth.

Download Sample Pages @www.kminsights.com/request-sample-33081

Go here to see the original:
New report shares details about Europe's nanomedicine market - WhaTech

Early phase Northwestern Medicine research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has demonstrated a potential new therapeutic strategy for treating deadly glioblastoma brain tumors.

The strategy involves using lipid polymer-based nanoparticles to deliver molecules to the tumors, where the molecules shut down key cancer drivers called brain tumor-initiating cells (BTICs).

BTICs are malignant brain tumor populations that underlie the therapy resistance, recurrence and unstoppable invasion commonly encountered by glioblastoma patients after the standard treatment regimen of surgical resection, radiation and chemotherapy, explained the studys first author, Dou Yu, MD, PhD, research assistant professor of Neurological Surgery.

Using mouse models of brain tumors implanted with BTICs derived from human patients, the scientists injected nanoparticles containing small interfering RNA (siRNA) short sequences of RNA molecules that reduce the expression of specific cancer-promoting proteins directly into the tumor. In the new study, the strategy stopped tumor growth and extended survival when the therapy was administered continuously through an implanted drug infusion pump.

This major progress, although still at a conceptual stage, underscores a new direction in the pursuit of a cure for one of the most devastating medical conditions known to mankind, said Yu, who collaborated on the research with principal investigator Maciej Lesniak, MD, Michael J. Marchese Professor of Neurosurgery and chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Glioblastoma is particularly difficult to treat because its genetic makeup varies from patient to patient. This new therapeutic approach would make it possible to deliver siRNAs to target multiple cancer-causing gene products simultaneously in a particular patients tumor.

In this study, the scientists tested siRNAs that target four transcription factors highly expressed in many glioblastoma tissues but not all. The therapy worked against classes of glioblastoma BTICs with high levels of those transcription factors, while other classes of the cancer did not respond.

This paints a picture for personalized glioblastoma therapy regimens based on tumor profiling, Yu said. Customized nanomedicine could target the unique genetic signatures in any specific patient and potentially lead to greater therapeutic benefits.

The strategy could also apply to other medical conditions related to the central nervous system not just brain tumors.

Degenerative neurological diseases or even psychiatric conditions could potentially be the therapeutic candidates for this multiplexed delivery platform, Yu said.

Before scientists can translate this proof-of-concept research to humans, they will need to continue refining the nanomedicine platform and evaluating its long-term safety. Still, the findings from this new research provide insight for further investigation.

Nanomedicine provides a unique opportunity to advance a therapeutic strategy for a disease without a cure. By effectively targeting brain tumor-initiating stem cells responsible for cancer recurrence, this approach opens up novel translational approaches to malignant brain cancer, Lesniak summed up.

This article has been republished frommaterialsprovided by Northwestern University. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Reference

Dou Yu, Omar F. Khan, Mario L. Suv, Biqin Dong, Wojciech K. Panek, Ting Xiao, Meijing Wu, Yu Han, Atique U. Ahmed, Irina V. Balyasnikova, Hao F. Zhang, Cheng Sun, Robert Langer, Daniel G. Anderson, Maciej S. Lesniak. Multiplexed RNAi therapy against brain tumor-initiating cells via lipopolymeric nanoparticle infusion delays glioblastoma progression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017; 201701911 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701911114

Read more:
siRNA Treatment for Brain Cancer Stops Tumor Growth in Mouse Model - Technology Networks

For cancer patients, understanding the odds of a treatments success can be bewildering. The same drug, applied to the same type of cancer, might be fully successful on one persons tumour and do nothing for another one. Physicians are often unable to explain why.

Now, U of T Engineering researchers are beginning to understand one of the reasons.Abdullah Syed and Shrey Sindhwani, both PhD candidates,and their colleagues at the Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) have created a technology to watch nanoparticles traveling into tumours revealing barriers that prevent their delivery to targets and the variability between cancers.

The biggest thing weve noticed is that nanoparticles face multiple challenges posed by the tumour itself on their way to cancer cells, says Sindhwani, an MD-PhD student in the Integrated Nanotechnology & Biomedical Sciences Laboratory of Professor Warren Chan (IBBME). Syed and Sindhwani co-published their findings online June 22, and on the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. So the treatment might work for a while or worse, theres just enough of the drug for the cancer to develop resistance. This could be prevented if we can figure out the ways in which these barriers stop delivery and distribution of the drug throughout the cancer.

Tiny nanoparticles offer great hope for the treatment of cancer and other disease because of their potential to deliver drugs to targeted areas in the body, allowing more precise treatments with fewer side effects. But so far the technology hasnt lived up to its promise, due to delivery and penetration problems.

To dismantle this roadblock, the two graduate students searched for a way to better view the particles journey inside tumours. They discovered that the tough-to-see particles could be illuminated by scattering light off their surfaces.

The sensitivity of our imaging is about 1.4 millionfold higher, says Syed. First, we make the tissue transparent, then we use the signal coming from the particles to locate them. We shine a light on the particles and it scatters the light. We capture this scattering light to learn the precise location of the nanoparticles.

It was already understood that nanoparticles were failing to accumulate in tumours, thanks to a meta-analysis of the field done by Chans group. But the researchers have developed technologies to look at nanoparticle distribution in 3D, which provides a much fuller picture of how the particles are interacting with the rest of the tumour biology. The goal is to use this technology to gather knowledge for developing mathematical principles of nanoparticle distribution in cancer, similar to the way principles exist for understanding the function of the heart, says Syed.

And because each tumour is unique, this technology and knowledge base should help future scientists to understand the barriers to drug delivery on a personalized basis, and to develop custom treatments.

The next step is to understand what in cancers biology stops particles from fully penetrating tumours and then to develop ways to bypass cancers defences.

But the technology is also useful for diseases other than cancer. With the help of Professor Jennifer Gommerman, an researcher in the Department of Immunology who studies multiple sclerosis (MS), Syed and Sindhwani captured 3D images of lesions in a mouse model mimicking MS using nanoparticles.

This is going to be very valuable to anyone trying to understand disease or the organ system more deeply, says Sindhwani. And once we understand barriers that dont allow drugs to reach their disease site, we can start knocking them down and improving patient health adds Syed.

Read the original:
Targeting tumours: IBBME researchers investigate biological barriers to nanomedicine delivery - U of T Engineering News

Empas multicellular model, which is mimicking the placental barrier: a core of connective tissue cells, surrounded by trophoblast cells. Credit: Empa

An Empa team has succeeded in developing a new three-dimensional cell model of the human placental barrier. The "model organ" can quickly and reliably deliver new information on the intake of substances, such as nano-particles, by the placental barrier and on any possible toxic effects for the unborn child. This knowledge can also be used in the future for the development of new approaches to therapy during pregnancy.

During its development, the foetus is extremely susceptible to toxic substances. Even the tiniest doses can cause serious damage. In order to protect the unborn child,one of the tasks of the placenta is to act as a barrier to "filter out" harmful substances, while at the same time providing the foetus with the nutrients it needs. In recent years, however, evidence has increasingly suggested that the placental barrier is not 100 percent effective and that nano-particles are actually able to penetrate it.

Nano-particles are being used in ever more varied areas of our lives. They are used, for example, in sun creams to protect against sunburn; they are used in condiments to stop them getting lumpy; they are used to make outdoor clothing waterproof and they are likely to be used in the future to transport medicines to their rightful destinations in the body . "At the moment, pregnant women are not being exposed to problematic amounts of nano-particles, but in the future that could well happen due to the ever increasing use of these tiny particles," suggests Tina Buerki of the "Department of Particles-Biology Interactions."

In order to ensure the safe development of nano-particles in the most diverse areas of application, their absorption mechanism at the placental barrier and their effect on the mother, foetus and placenta itself must be looked at more closely. It is the size, charge, chemical composition and shape of the nano-particles that could have an influence on whether they actually penetrate the placental barrier and, if so, in what way they are able to do so. At the moment, however, this research is only in its infancy. Since the function and structure of the human placenta is unique, studies undertaken on pregnant mammals are problematic and often inconclusive. Traditional models of the human placental barrier are either very time consuming to construct, or are extremely simplified.

A 3-D model of the human placental barrier

Tests of this nature are best carried out on donated placentas that become available after childbirth by Caesarean section. The organs are connected as quickly as possible to a perfusion system and this ensures the tissue is provided with nutrients and oxygen. This model is, indeed, the most accurate, i.e. the most clinically relevant. It is, however, very technically demanding and, moreover,restricted to a perfusion time window of six to eight hours. Against that, such placentas can be used to reliably test the ability of any given nano-particle to penetrate the placental barrier. The model does not, however, yield any information on the mechanism used by the particle to penetrate this complex organ.

Researchers are therefore tending to fall back on the use of simple cell cultures and other modelling systems. An individual cell, possibly taken from the epithelium and subsequently cultivated and propagated in a petri dish, is perfectly suited to a whole range of different experiments. However, researchers cannot be certain that the cells in the petri dish will ultimately behave like those in the human body. The new model that the Empa team under Tina Buerki described in the scientific journal Nanoscale at the end of last year is, by contrast, three-dimensional and consists of more than one cell type. The cells exist in a tissue-like environment analogous to the placenta and can be experimented on for a longer period of time.

Golden test candidate

In order to create the model, the research team used the "hanging drop" technology developed by Insphero AG. This technology allows models to be created without "scaffolding," which can hinder free access of the nano-particles to the cells in the subsequent transport tests. Rather than introducing the cells in a flat petri dish, a special device, in which the cells in the hanging drops combine to form spherical micro-tissue, is used. The resulting micro-tissue mimics the human placenta much more closely than cells cultivated on a "rigid" culture dish. Experiments can be carried out much more quickly using the 3-D model than with the real placenta and, significantly, on the most widely differing types of nano-particle. In this way, those nano-particles that show potentially toxic effects or demonstrate desirable transport behaviour can be efficiently pre-selected and the results verified using a real placenta.

The model has already proved itself in a second study, which the team has just published in the scientific journal Nanomedicine. Buerki's team has come up with an absorption mechanism for gold particles that could be used in a range of medicinal applications. The Empa team looked at gold particles of various sizes and different surface modifications. In accordance with the results of other studies, the researchers discovered that small gold particles were able to penetrate the placental barrier more easily. In addition, fewer particles passed through the barrier if they were carrying polyethylene glycol (PEG) on their surfaces. These are chain-forming molecules that almost completely envelope the particles. PEG is often used in medicine to allow particles and other small structures to travel "incognito" in the body, thus preventing them being identified and removed by the immune system. "It therefore appears possible to control the movement of nano-particles through the placenta by means of their properties," Buerki explains.

Medicines for pregnant women that do not harm the child

Empa's research team is keen to further develop this 3-D model in the future. The team is hoping to augment the model using a dynamic component. This would, for example, mean introducing the micro-tissue in a micro-fluid system able to simulate blood circulation in the mother and child. Another approach would be to combine the model of the placenta with other models. "With the model of a foetus, for example," Buerki suggests. In this way, complex organ interactions could also be incorporated and it would be possible, for example, to discover whether the placenta releases foetus-damaging substances as a reaction to certain nano-particles.

"With these studies, we are hoping to lay the foundations for the safe but nevertheless effective use of nano-medicines during pregnancy," Buerki continued. If we understand the transport mechanisms of nano-materials through the placental barrier well enough, we believe we can develop new carrier systems for therapeutic agents that can be safely given to pregnant women. This is because many women are forced to take medicines even during pregnancy patients suffering from epilepsy or diabetes, for example, or patients that have contracted life-threatening infections. Nano-carriers must be chosen which are unable to penetrate the placental barrier. It is also possible, for example, to provide such carriers with "address labels," which ensure that the medicine shuttle is transported to the correct organ i.e. to the diseased organ and is unable to penetrate the placenta. This would allow the medicine to be released first and foremost into the mother. Consequently, the amounts absorbed by the foetus or embryoand therefore the risk to the unborn child are significantly reduced.

Explore further: New placenta model could reveal how birth defect-causing infections cross from mom to baby

Go here to see the original:
Medication for the unborn baby - Medical Xpress