Development of novel biomimetic, nanoparticulate drug carriers with prolonged blood circulation time following systemic application

• Applicant: Dr. Moritz Beck-Broichsitter
• Subject Area: Pharmacy
• Term: from 2013 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 237118040

Systemic drug application enables medicament distribution throughout the body, which is currently state-of-the-art for the treatment of numerous severe diseases. Systemic therapy regimens, however, are often associated with significant toxicities, owing to random drug distribution. Drug encapsulation into polymeric, nanoparticulate carriers (nanoparticles) allows for a targeted and controlled drug release at the desired site of action. For an optimized accumulation of drug-loaded nanoparticles in the target organ (employing active or passive targeting), formulations need to display a prolonged blood circulation time. Therefore, the surface of nanoparticles is often masked to minimize interactions with the immune system. Surface modifications with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) reveal only limited effectiveness, as the PEG-modified nanoparticles cause immune responses, which in turn lead to a rapid clearance from the blood stream following repeated administrations. Therefore, novel approaches for surface modification of nanoparticles would be highly desirable. Among the diverse strategies, biomimetic-modified nanoparticle formulations seem to be very promising to facilitate negligible immune response, a delayed clearance from the blood compartment and hence, an increased carrier accumulation in the target organ.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: France
• Host: Professor Patrick Couvreur