Nitric Oxide-Donating Nanoparticle
Industry: Disease treatment
The use of nitric oxide has shown promise in treating a variety of diseases, including those affecting the lymphatic system. However, current delivery mechanisms for nitric oxide are inadequate for deep tissue targets, such as the lymphatics, due to the therapy’s highly diffusive nature and short half-life.
This new technology out of Georgia Tech solves this problem by encapsulating nitric oxide in nanoparticles that have well-controlled biodistribution profiles.
The nanoparticles have several advantages, including the controlled and sustained release of nitric oxide. The nanoparticles can also co-encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic payloads, making them highly versatile for drug delivery. They are made from polymers with high biocompatibility profiles and degrade into water-soluble byproducts, allowing for easy excretion.
The market for nitric oxide-based therapeutics targeting the lymphatics is large, with diseases affecting the lymphatic system ranging from infectious and cardiovascular diseases to cancer. Lymphatic diseases alone affect 40 million people worldwide.
