Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type
1 (HIV-1) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, principally in
developing countries. Although therapeutic agents exist for the treatment of
HIV-AIDS, drug-induced toxicities and pharmacokinetic limitations commonly
result in poor compliance and disease related complications such as, for
example, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). HAND is one of the
most common manifestations of HIV-1 pathogenesis that causes cognitive
impairment and other CNS-related disorders. For treating disorders such as
HAND, delivery of therapeutic agents to the CNS remains a major challenge,
primarily due to the ineffective transmigration of drugs through the
blood-brain barrier (BBB). In recent years, the advent of nanomedicine has
stimulated the development of innovative systems for drug delivery. However,
clinical success has been limited due to problems associated with
biocompatibility, sustainability, and cytotoxicity of the drugs.FIU inventors have developed
pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the delivery of Efavirenz to HIV
reservoir organs. The compositions comprise nanodiamond particles that are
small enough (less than 10 nm in diameter) to penetrate the tight junctions of
the BBB and subsequently migrate to selected treatment areas. The surface of
the ND particles can be electrostatically charged, facilitating the adsorption
of various therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents having positive or negative
charges. Optionally, the surface of the ND particles can be chemically modified
with functionalities such as, for example, carboxylic acid, lactone, ketone,
ether, hydroxyl, and/or amine. Furthermore, biological molecules such as, for
example, amino acids, proteins, cells, hormones, vitamins, DNAs, siRNAs,
antibodies, and RNAs, can be adsorbed or covalently attached to the ND
particles’ surfaces without altering their biological activities. Finally, the
increased drug-loading capacity attributed to ND particles’ large surface area
can lead to more sustained drug release profile and improve drug dosing
regimens.
Benefit
Biocompatible and nontoxic to cells Can cross the blood-brain barrier Can adsorb large quantity of drug allowing sustained release of drug over long period of time
Market Application
Targeted nanodrug delivery of anti-HIV drug to the HIV reservoir organs like the brain, lymphoid tissue, bone marrow, genital tract, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue Sustained release of drug Image guided drug delivery
Publications
Roy, U., Drozd, V., Durygin, A. et al. Characterization of
Nanodiamond-based anti-HIV drug Delivery to the Brain. Sci Rep 8, 1603 (2018).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16703-9
Brochure
