BC Cancer Agency Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130136790 | LIPOSOMES WITH IMPROVED DRUG RETENTION FOR TREATMENT OF CANCER - The present invention relates to the use of copper ions to achieve enhanced retention of a therapeutic agent within a liposome. The invention may be employed to more effectively deliver a liposomally encapsulated therapeutic agent to a target site in vitro and in vivo for anti-cancer or other therapy. The liposome may comprise an interior buffer solution containing the therapeutic agent, the solution having a pH less than 6.5 and most preferably approximating pH 3.5. At least some of the copper ions are retained within the interior solution. In a particular embodiment the therapeutic agent may be a chemotherapeutic drug, such as irinotecan. The invention may also comprise an ionophore to facilitate loading of drug into the liposome. In one particular embodiment the combination of the ionophore A23187 and encapsulated divalent copper (Cu2+) resulted in an irinotecan formulation that exhibited surprisingly improved drug retention attributes. | 05-30-2013 |
20110262524 | LIPOSOMES WITH IMPROVED DRUG RETENTION FOR TREATMENT OF CANCER - The present invention relates to the use of copper ions to achieve enhanced retention of a therapeutic agent within a liposome. The invention may be employed to more effectively deliver a liposomally encapsulated therapeutic agent to a target site in vitro and in vivo for anti-cancer or other therapy. The liposome may comprise an interior buffer solution containing the therapeutic agent, the solution having a pH less than 6.5 and most preferably approximating pH 3.5. At least some of the copper ions are retained within the interior solution. In a particular embodiment the therapeutic agent may be a chemotherapeutic drug, such as irinotecan. The invention may also comprise an ionophore to facilitate loading of drug into the liposome. In one particular embodiment the combination of the ionophore A23187 and encapsulated divalent copper (Cu2+) resulted in an irinotecan formulation that exhibited surprisingly improved drug retention attributes. | 10-27-2011 |
20090028931 | Liposomal compositions for parenteral delivery of agents - The invention provides methods and compositions for loading an agent, such as econazole, onto a liposome for parental delivery. The loading of the agent into a liposome comprises combining the agent with a micelle-forming compound to form a micelle including the agent, where the agent is releasable from the micelle-forming compound, and adding the micelle to the liposome, where the micelle combines with the liposome such that the agent is loaded into the liposome to form a loaded liposome. The methods are suitable for the loading of poorly soluble agents onto liposome. | 01-29-2009 |
20080299095 | Nup98-Hox Fusions for Expansion of Hemopoietic Stem Cells - Nucleic acid constructs encoding homeobox-nucleoporin fusions are disclosed, compositions comprising same, and methods which provide enhanced expansion of stem cells. In particular, an isolated nucleic acid construct encoding a NUP98-HOX fusion is provided, which when introduced into hemopoietic stem cells provides enhanced expansion of these cells. Methods of expanding stem cells in vivo or ex vivo and methods of treatment using the stem cells are also described. | 12-04-2008 |
20080286350 | Formulation of Multivalent Antibody Constructs and Use of Same for Cancer Therapy - The invention relates to the formation of multivalent antibody constructs for testing and therapeutic purposes. In one embodiment the constructs consist of antibodies or antibody fragments conjugated to liposomes. The constructs are employed in a cell-based in vitro assay for comparing the therapeutic activity of antibodies or antibody fragments in multivalent form to the same antibodies or fragments in bivalent, free form. The assay is useful for identifying antibodies having potential in vivo activity. Selected antibodies may then be tested in an animal model of a disease state, such as cancer or an autoimmune disorder. Co-delivery of antibodies and chemotherapeutics may also be investigated. In accordance with the invention, a significant enhancement in the activity of antibodies such as trastuzumab and rituximab was observed when these antibodies were presented in the multivalent liposomal form. Key cell survival signaling molecules were down-regulated upon treatment with the multivalent liposomal antibody construct. The invention demonstrates the potential of liposome technology to enhance the therapeutic effect of antibodies via a mechanism that modulates cell survival, likely through clustering of target/antibody complex. | 11-20-2008 |