University of Pittsburgh researchers have engineered a lipid microbubble incorporating nitro-fatty acids to target specific blood vessels using therapeutic ultrasound.
Description
Nitro-fatty acids (NFAs) are lipids with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. They have shown promise in the treatment of microvascular obstruction (MVO). These novel microbubbles have been engineered with a directly functionalized NFA incorporated into the lipid shell. It is possible to directly target the delivery of NFAs to specific tissue using ultrasound-targeted microbubble cavitation (UTMC) therapy. This selective tissue targeting could allow for localized treatment of vascular conditions like myocardial infarction, improving patient outcomes.
Applications
1. Cardiovascular disease
2. Ultrasound contrast agents
3. Oxidative stress and inflammation
Advantages
NFAs have been shown to have a wide range of benefits when given therapeutically. Currently, they are administered systemically and not targeted to any local pathology, with the potential for off-target effects.
These novel NFA microbubbles (NFABs) are designed to move through the body before being activated by targeted therapeutic ultrasound at the intended delivery site. Following targeted rupture and release of the NFAs, these microbubbles can enhance the permeability of the local tissue through sonoporation, improving the uptake of NFAs. Additionally, NFABs protect NFAs from first-pass metabolism, increasing the concentration delivered locally. Finally, NFABs could include a contrast agent to enhance ultrasound imaging of the target region for more guided delivery.
Invention Readiness
NFABs have been successfully engineered and found to specifically target tissues with UTMC therapy in vivo. Further optimization research is required including human studies.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20230065014A1
