Liposome Multi-Target Complex for Tumor Microenvironment Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current drug delivery systems face challenges in achieving stability, high encapsulation rates, and targeted delivery of immunotherapies to tumor microenvironments, with existing liposomes struggling with stability, cost, and immune responses.

Innovation Solution

A liposome carrier-based multi-target complex co-loaded with a STING agonist, ENPP1 inhibitor, and immune checkpoint inhibitor, linked with a tumor-targeting antibody, which forms a closed unilamellar vesicle structure to enhance anti-tumor activity and prevent immune escape.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional liposomes are used for drug delivery, then they can carry therapeutic agents, but they suffer from poor stability and low encapsulation rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliposome stabilityVSAvoidencapsulation rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite liposome structures combining different lipid components (phospholipids, cholesterol, PEGylated lipids) to create a multi-functional carrier system that simultaneously achieves enhanced stability through lipid stacking interactions and high encapsulation efficiency through optimized lipid ratios and surface charge characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The liposome surface is engineered with heterogeneous properties including PEGylated regions for steric stabilization, charged lipid domains for encapsulation, and targeted ligand clusters for tumor microenvironment specificity, creating local functional zones that optimize both stability and encapsulation performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If conventional liposomes are used, then they can deliver drugs, but they exhibit poor targeted delivery capability to tumor microenvironments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetargeted delivery capabilityVSAvoidliposome structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The liposome is divided into functionally distinct segments: a core compartment for hydrophilic drug encapsulation, a lipid bilayer for hydrophobic drug loading, surface anchor regions for antibody conjugation, and steric barrier zones for tumor penetration, allowing each segment to optimize its specific function without compromising overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary molecules including PEGylated linkers, antibody fragments, and tumor-penetrating peptides that mediate between the liposome core and tumor microenvironment, enabling targeted delivery through intermediate recognition events rather than direct complex interactions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If immune checkpoint inhibitors are combined with STING agonists and ENPP1 inhibitors, then anti-tumor activity is enhanced, but the risk of immune storms increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-tumor activityVSAvoidimmune storm risk
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The liposome serves as an intermediary delivery platform that controls the spatio-temporal release of multiple immunotherapeutic agents, preventing simultaneous activation and enabling sequential engagement of immune pathways to enhance anti-tumor activity while mitigating synergistic harmful effects through controlled pharmacokinetics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The liposome formulation pre-positions and protects multiple active agents until they reach the tumor microenvironment, where they are released in a controlled sequence that activates STING signaling before full immune checkpoint inhibition, creating a primed immune state that reduces the risk of acute immune storms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 multi-target complex effectively targets tumor microenvironments, enhances anti-tumor activity, and reduces the risk of immune storms, offering improved stability and encapsulation efficiency while minimizing immune responses.

Implementation Method 1

a liposome; wherein the STING agonist is located in a hydrophilic core, and the ENPP1 inhibitor is located in a hydrophobic interlayer of a concentric lipid bilayer membrane of the liposome

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiposome encapsulation:

Implementation Method 2

Activation of STING can enhance the ability of the innate immune system to fight tumors or infections. Microbial and viral DNA in infected mammalian cells can induce potent endogenous immune responses by stimulating the interferon secretion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSTING signaling activation:

Implementation Method 3

ENPP1 is a transmembrane protein located in the cell membrane or ER, and can be secreted extracellularly as a soluble N-terminally cleaved monomer. In addition to the phosphodiester bond in natural nucleotides, the ENPP1 can also catalyze the hydrolysis of the cGAMP

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzyme inhibition: Enzyme

Implementation Method 4

it is difficult for the immune system to find tumors before the canceration, and the immune function may be suppressed through immune checkpoints during the development of the tumors, resulting in immune escape

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImmune checkpoint blocking:

Data Source

PatentUS20240238201A1Liposome carrier-based multi-target complex, drug delivery platform containing the same, and application thereof
Publication Date: 2024.07.18 HANGZHOU XINGAO BIOTECH CO LTD

AI summary

A liposome carrier-based multi-target complex, which includes a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, an ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (ENPP1) inhibitor, and a liposome. The immune checkpoint inhibitor is configured to target at least two different immune checkpoints or antigenic epitopes. A weight ratio of the STING agonist to the ENPP1 inhibitor is 10:2.5-10, excluding 10:10, and a weight ratio of the STING agonist to the immune checkpoint inhibitor is 10:2.5-100, excluding 10:100. This application also provides a drug delivery platform and applications of the multi-target complex.