Multifunctional Fluoropolymer-Engineered Magnetic Nanoparticles to Facilitate Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration and Effective Gene Silencing in Medulloblastoma

Patients with brain cancers including medulloblastoma lack treatments that are effective long-term and without side effects. In this study, a multifunctional fluoropolymer-engineered iron oxide nanoparticle gene-therapeutic platform is presented to overcome these challenges. The fluoropolymers are designed and synthesized to incorporate various properties including robust anchoring moieties for efficient surface coating, cationic components to facilitate short interference RNA (siRNA) binding, and a fluorinated tail to ensure stability in serum. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) tailored system demonstrates enhanced BBB penetration, facilitates delivery of functionally active siRNA to medulloblastoma cells, and delivers a significant, almost complete block in protein expression within an in vitro extracellular acidic environment (pH 6.7) - as favored by most cancer cells. In vivo, it effectively crosses an intact BBB, provides contrast for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and delivers siRNA capable of slowing tumor growth without causing signs of toxicity - meaning it possesses a safe theranostic function. The pioneering methodology applied shows significant promise in the advancement of brain and tumor microenvironment-focused MRI-siRNA theranostics for the better treatment and diagnosis of medulloblastoma.

An immunomodulating peptide to counteract solar radiation-induced immunosuppression and DNA damage

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces immunosuppression and DNA damage, both of which contribute to the rising global incidence of skin cancer including melanoma. Nucleotide excision repair, which is activated upon UVR-induced DNA damage, is linked to expression of interleukin-12 (IL-12) which serves to limit immunosuppression and augment the DNA repair process. Herein, we report an immunomodulating peptide, designated IK14800, that not only elicits secretion of IL-12, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) but also reduces DNA damage in the skin following exposure to UVR. Combined with re-invigoration of exhausted CD4+ T cells, inhibition of UVR-induced MMP-1 release and suppression of B16F10 melanoma metastases, IK14800 offers an opportunity to gain further insight into mechanisms underlying the development and progression of skin cancers.

MILGa-01: A first-in-human study assessing the safety and tolerability of chMIL-38 in metastatic prostate, bladder, and pancreatic cancers

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Background: Metastatic or recurrent cancer continues to be a challenge in patients with urogenital and pancreatic cancers despite the development of newer anti-androgen therapies. MIL-38 is an IgG1 murine monoclonal antibody directed against Glypican-1 (GPC-1). The proteoglycan GPC-1 is upregulated in prostate, pancreatic and bladder cancer cell lines. Targeting of tumor xenografts and lack of adverse events in pre-clinical models suggest chimeric MIL-38 (chMIL-38) is a good candidate for both radioimmunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugate development. Methods: Patients with known metastatic prostate and pancreatic cancer were injected with a single dose of MILGa drug (1mg, 250MBq dose) and imaged with whole body gamma camera scans and SPECT/CT at 30 minutes, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h (if required) and 144h post infusion. Blood and urine samples for pharmacokinetic, biomarker studies, cancer markers and hematology and biochemistry analysis were collected at each time point. Dosimetry analysis of tumour images was performed to determine the relative accumulation of MILGa in different organs. Results: To date one pancreatic cancer patient and one prostate cancer patient with metastatic disease have been infused with the MILGa drug. The drug was safe and well tolerated in both patients with no infusion reactions or drug-related adverse events. Tracer uptake was observed in the liver, with mild tracer uptake in the spleen, skeletal system and kidneys. Significant MILGa targeting was seen in Patient 2 24 hours post infusion onwards with uptake in the right foot (right calcaneum and cuneiform bones). SPECT/CT at 24 hours confirmed uptake was in the bone, not in the joint space or soft tissue. Conclusions: MILGa has shown a promising safety profile to date with indication of tumour targeting in metastatic prostate cancer. Additional data from this study may permit the selection and evaluation of potentially sensitive tumor types to be studied for further therapeutic and diagnostic studies. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12616000787482.