Targeted anti-cancer drug delivery system.

One of the characteristics of tumour cells and tumour stroma cells is their secretion of the proteolytic enzymes such as cathepsins, which actively promote tumour growth and are therefore amenable as targets for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs. The invention is bio-molecular drug delivery system with a specific cathepsin-B inhibitor linked to a highly bio-compatible liposomal nano-carrier via lipid tail and which enables specific targeting of cathepsins in the tumour microenvironment, and therefore bringing the liposomomal nanocarrier containing the drug payload (eg. doxorubicin), to the target site. Liposome based drug delivery system enables reduction in dosages and systemic toxicity with increased efficiency of anti-cancer drugs which leads to more efficient and less costly treatments. Successful functioning of the system has been demonstrated both in vitro on various cell cultures and in vivo on mouse cancer model. In vitro experiments on cells showed that encapsulated doxorubicin in liposomes with linked cathepsin-B inhibitor was 22 fold more potent in killing cells compared to only liposome encapsulated doxorubicin. While in vivo data confirmed increased accumulation of liposomes with linked cathepsin-B inhibitor in tumours while there was no accumulation in healthy tissue. The technology is applicable for targeted delivery of both anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory drugs to pathological sites. It enables to deliver both water soluble and insoluble compounds to the target site due to the liposome structure with lipid layer and hydrophilic core. Apart from treatment, the technology is also applicable for detection purposes (for example, by specific delivery of a fluorescent marker or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent to a tumour site), and was confirmed using encapsulated Gadolinium (Gd) with linked cathepsin-B inhibitor on tumour bearing mice, which resulted in signal enhancement, prolonged retention and elimination. The researchers are among the world's leading experts in the field of proteases (primarily cysteine cathepsins) and their regulation of physiological processes in normal and pathological conditions, including cancer, and inflammatory associated diseases, and have extensive knowledge and expertise in cell biology, proteomics, animal cancer models and in-vivo imaging techniques. The researchers filed number of patent on drug delivery systems on international level, have many international collaborations and have participated in several International and EU projects among which, EU project FP7 that was focused on developing drug delivery system for oral and ocular application. They published over a hundred articles in high-impact scientific journals. Partners are sought to participate with the finalisation of the pre-clinical and/or clinical trials. Most suitable partners are already involved in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry or are investors. The types of cooperation preferred are as: - joint venture for the finalisation of the pre-clinical trials and/or phase-1 clinical trials - license agreement to implement the proposed technology - research cooperation agreement for the finalisation of the pre-clinical trials and/or phase-1 clinical trials