Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Conjugation of Anti-Cancer Drugs Increases Their Delivery and Efficacy

Section: For Industry

Category(ies): Cancer Therapeutics

Reference #: ZHLU439501

OTC Contact: Ruchika Nijhara, Ph.D. (Directory Information | Send a Message)

Description

Hyaluronic acid (HA) receptors are overexpressed on cancer cell surface. The present invention describes a targeted drug delivery system for cancer cells. Specifically, the invention relates to compounds composed of at least one residue of HA and at least one anti-cancer drug molecule for targeting the drug to cancer cells. Further, the invention is directed to methods of increasing the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of the drug by pre-administering a non HA glycoaminoglycans (GAGs) blocking agent before administering the HA conjugate.

Applications

Applications: Cell-targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs

 Advantages:

  • Water-soluble
  • Enhanced Permeability and retention of the drug
  • Increased therapeutic index of the drug through receptor-mediated uptake by target cancer cells.
  • Hyaluronic acid is an immunoneutral and also employed both as a vehicle and angiostatic agent in cancer therapy.

Advantages

Stage of Development

Stage of Development: Proof-of-concept demonstrated in animals.

Inventors: Lurong Zhang, and Glenn Prestwich.

Relevant Publications

Lurong Zhang et al. Analysis of hyaluronan using biotinylated hyaluronan-Binding proteins. Methods in Mol. Biol. 2000;137:441-447

 

Patent Status

PCT/US2003/014087 entitled, “Preblocking with non-HA gags increases effectiveness of HA conjugated anticancer agents” filed on June 5, 2002. Patent pending in US, Europe and Australia.