Dense Nanoparticle-Modified Therapeutic Agents for Ultrasound Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for ultrasound-induced cavitation to deliver therapeutic or diagnostic agents require high ultrasound pressures, which can have adverse effects and are costly, necessitating a balance between delivery efficacy and pressure minimization.
Innovation Solution
Enhancing the density of therapeutic or diagnostic agents by covalently binding them to a dense component, such as gold nanoparticles, which acts as a cavitation initiator or enhancer, allowing effective delivery at lower ultrasound pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high ultrasound pressure is used to induce inertial cavitation for therapeutic agent delivery, then delivery efficacy is improved, but adverse effects and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the density parameter of the therapeutic agent by attaching dense components (such as gold nanoparticles with density 19.3 g/cm³) to the therapeutic molecule. This parameter change enables the agent to respond more strongly to cavitation forces at lower ultrasound pressures, thereby maintaining delivery efficacy while reducing adverse effects
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite therapeutic agent consisting of a therapeutic component covalently bound to a dense component. This composite structure combines the therapeutic function with high density and cavitation-initiating properties, enabling effective agent delivery at reduced ultrasound pressures
2Reliability
If high ultrasound pressure is used to induce inertial cavitation, then therapeutic benefit is improved, but transducer cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By modifying the density parameter of the therapeutic agent through attachment of dense components, the invention enables reliable therapeutic delivery using standard transducers operating at lower pressures, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining therapeutic benefit
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The enhanced density agents achieve effective delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents with reduced ultrasound pressure, improving the response to cavitation-mediated transport while minimizing adverse effects and costs.
Implementation Method 1
it is known to use ultrasound to induce inertial cavitation in the body, whereby a void or bubble in the body expands and then rapidly collapses
Implementation Method 2
causing broadband acoustic emissions, a shockwave and fluid microstreaming in the vicinity of the bubble. Microstreaming caused by cavitation can be used to deliver therapeutic agents to their biological targets in vivo
Data Source
AI summary
The invention disclosed herein relates to a method of cavitation-induced delivery of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to a human or animal subject. In particular the invention provides an agent for use in a method of diagnosis or treatment of a human or animal subject, the method comprising exposing the subject to ultrasound, wherein the agent comprises a therapeutic or diagnostic component which is covalently bound to a dense component, the dense component having a density greater than that of the therapeutic or diagnostic component, and wherein either the dense component is a cavitation initiator or the method comprises administering to the subject a further agent which is a cavitation initiator. Binding of the dense component enhances cavitation-induced transport of the therapeutic or diagnostic component.