Globular Chelating Nanostructures for Radionuclide Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current nanocarriers for cancer therapy face challenges such as inefficient tumor targeting, systemic toxicity, and complex preparation processes due to the need for covalent binding of radioisotopes, which limits their clinical effectiveness and practicality in radiotherapy and imaging.

Innovation Solution

Development of bioinert, globular chelating polymeric nanostructures with a hydrodynamic diameter of 8-100 nm, comprising a crosslinked or branched central part with chelating groups and a hydrophilic, bioinert peripheral part, allowing for rapid binding of radionuclides via electrostatic interactions, facilitating simplified preparation and enhanced tumor targeting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If covalent binding of radioisotopes to nanocarriers is used, then stability of radioisotope attachment is improved, but preparation process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradioisotope attachment stabilityVSAvoidpreparation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces covalent chemical bonding with electrostatic interactions for radioisotope attachment. The nanocarrier surface is charged to attract and bind radionuclides through electrostatic forces, eliminating the need for complex covalent bonding chemistry while maintaining stable attachment. This substitution of binding mechanism simplifies the preparation process significantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the surface charge parameter of the nanocarrier to enable electrostatic binding of radioisotopes. By controlling the charge density and sign of the nanocarrier surface, the system achieves effective radioisotope attachment through electrostatic interactions, changing the binding mechanism from covalent to electrostatic and thereby simplifying preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If passive targeting approach is used, then tumor delivery efficiency is improved, but specificity to tumor cells decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetumor delivery efficiencyVSAvoidtumor targeting specificity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating regions of different charge distribution on the nanocarrier surface. The electrostatic field is concentrated at the tumor site due to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, allowing preferential accumulation of charged nanocarriers in tumor tissue while maintaining passive targeting efficiency. This local concentration of electrostatic interaction enhances tumor specificity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If nanocarrier size is reduced to 8-100 nm, then renal excretion is minimized, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecirculation stabilityVSAvoidsize distribution control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the size parameter of nanocarriers to the 8-100 nm range, which balances renal filtration avoidance with effective tumor penetration. This size parameter optimization ensures that nanocarriers are small enough to extravasate through tumor vasculature but large enough to avoid rapid renal clearance, achieving reliable circulation and tumor targeting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 nanostructures enable effective delivery of radionuclides to tumors, reducing radiation doses to surrounding tissues, improving therapeutic outcomes, and simplifying clinical handling, while minimizing systemic toxicity and enhancing imaging capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

allowing for rapid binding of radionuclides via electrostatic interactions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic interactions: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentEP3122383B8Nanostructures and applications thereof
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 SPAGO NANOMEDICAL

AI summary

Disclosed herein are globular nanostructures having a hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) of 8-100 nm comprising a central part and a peripheral part, wherein said central part has a calculated diameter (Dc) of 6-90 nm and said peripheral part has an estimated thickness (Tp) so that Dh=Dc+2Tp, wherein said central part comprises: (i) a crosslinked polymeric framework comprising monomer residues wherein at least 30 % by number of the monomer residues have crosslinked thereby forming the crosslinked polymeric framework and/or (ii) a branched polymeric framework comprising monomer residues wherein the number of branch points is at least 30 % of the number of monomer residues, wherein said central part comprises chelating groups of which at least 4 allow chelation of at least one multiply charged cation, wherein said chelating groups are independently selected from the group consisting of -COOR1, -P=O(OR1)(OR2), and -S(=O)2OR1, wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a negative charge, H, and lower alkyls, and wherein said peripheral part comprises a synthetic polymer material covalently attached to the central part, wherein the synthetic polymer material is hydrophilic and bioinert, and electrically neutral or zwitterionic. Also disclosed are compositions comprising such nanoparticles, and optionally also a radionuclide, use of such compositions, kits containing such compositions and methods for obtaining such compositions.