Development, and In vitro and In vivo evaluation of thermoresponsive bioreductively-activated nanotheranostics

Cancer management continues to be a global problem (WHO report 2022) – mainly because cancerous solid tumors (found in more than 40% patients, and in all types of cancer) become metastatic, therapy resistant and poor-responding to conventional chemo-/radiotherapy due to a condition called hypoxia (tissue with low levels of oxygen). Due to poor tumor vasculature, drug delivery is severely compromised, and therapeutically-effective doses are not available in tumor. To date, there is no drug to kill hypoxic tumors.
Our partner WWiKY Biosciences Inc. is actively working on providing clinical solution for such cancers. This project, partly supported by them, pursues the anti-cancer evaluations of a drug DOTA-TPZ, developed by WWiKY Biosciences Inc., that in collaboration with Dr. Narain, will be transformed to a nanodrug to facilitate its delivery selectively in cancer cells, thus minimal toxicity to healthy cells. DOTA-TPZ drug is highly innovative since ‘the same drug’ is designed with features that it can offer both cancer imaging and therapy (cancer killing), i.e., a precision medicine approach for yet untreatable cancers. Besides health benefits, this development offers is a serious IP and a yet untapped market opportunity for this product. Further, WWiKY Biosciences Inc. partnership with biomedical engineering opens the door for a highly innovative nanotheranostic i.e., both imaging + therapeutic, solution for cancer management.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ravin Narain

Student:

Partner:

WWiKY BioSciences Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing; Wholesale trade

University:

University of Alberta

Program: