Microalgae Extracellular Vesicles for Intranasal Brain Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for conveniently produced extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can be readily delivered to cells and tissues, particularly for targeted delivery to specific regions of the brain, as existing EVs from mammalian sources face challenges in efficiently traversing natural barriers and reaching desired brain regions.
Innovation Solution
Microalgae-derived extracellular vesicles (MEVs) are formulated for intranasal delivery, which traffic through the olfactory nerve and lateral olfactory tract (LOT) to interconnected brain regions, allowing for endogenous or exogenous loading of bioactive cargo for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mammalian-derived EVs are used for delivery, then they can be produced with established methods, but they fail to efficiently traverse natural barriers and reach desired brain regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the source organism parameter from mammalian to microalgal cells, which fundamentally alters the EV properties to enable efficient traversal of natural barriers and blood-brain barrier while maintaining production feasibility through microbial cultivation systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses microalgal EVs as an intermediary carrier that can cross biological barriers where direct delivery fails. These EVs act as a mediator between the administered therapeutic and the target brain regions, enabling delivery through the olfactory nerve pathway and other routes that mammalian EVs cannot achieve
2Manufacturing precision
If EVs are designed for targeted delivery to specific brain regions, then treatment precision improves, but the complexity of achieving specific biodistribution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs microalgal EVs that possess intrinsic properties enabling them to naturally target specific brain regions without requiring complex external guidance systems. The EVs self-navigate through biological barriers and accumulate in target tissues through their inherent biological characteristics, simplifying the overall delivery system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are compositions containing microalgae extracellular vesicles (MEVs) formulated for intranasal delivery, whereby, upon intranasal administration the MEVs traffic through specific routes following intranasal administration to specific regions in the brain via the olfactory nerve and throughout the lateral olfactory tract (LOT) to interconnected brain regions. The MEVs traffic via neuronal axonal transport. The MEVs have the ability to cross-over synapses including: (i) the synapses between the olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) and the mitral/tufted neurons; (ii) the synapses between the mitral/tufted neurons and the local neurons in the various brain regions colonized by the lateral olfactory tract (LOT); and (iii) the synapses between the neurons in the brain regions colonized by the LOT and neurons from the frontal cortex, the hippocampus, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus. The compositions contain extracellular vesicles from microalgae (MEVs) that are loaded with bioactive cargo for treating, detecting, diagnosing, or monitoring a disease, disorder, or condition of the brain or involving the brain, particularly providing neuronal delivery of the cargo. The compositions and methods have a variety of applications as therapeutics and diagnostics for treating, diagnosing, and monitoring a disease, disorder, or condition of the brain or involving the brain. The compositions can be used in methods and uses for treating cancers involving the brain, and can be used, for example, to deliver therapeutics for psychiatric diseases, disorders, conditions, and to deliver therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, disorders, and conditions.