Cationic Polymers as Co-Drugs for chemotherapeutic Agents

Description:

INV-17100

Background

There are numerous anticancer chemotherapies available in the market that show cytotoxic effects along with unwanted various side effects. Researchers are trying to induce desired clinical effects at lower concentrations without much success as lowering the drug concentration has led to lower cytotoxicity. The invention puts forward a co-administration method to facilitate the delivery of the drug to the nucleus of the cell and improve cytotoxicity at a lower drug concentration. 

Technology Overview

The novel treatment of cancer includes administering a mixture of chemotherapeutic drugs with a co-drug. The co-drug used is a cationic polymer polyethyleneimine (PEI). The drug and PEI when simply mixed exhibit greater cytotoxicity in vitro (against breast adenocarcinoma cell line) and in vivo (in mice model). The cationic polymer efficiently enters the nucleus of the cell and aids in the entry of the chemotherapeutic agents. Hence, it increases the effectiveness of the drugs at a lower concentration. 

Benefits

• Simple mixing of drug and co-drug is required 
• Desired effect at lower drug concentration (synergistic effect) 
• Flexibility of administration (simultaneous or sequential) 
• Flexibility of administration site 
  • Intraperitoneal cavity administration 
  • Intravenous administration 
  • Intratumoral administration 

Applications

•  Cancer treatment 
• Treatment of drug-resistant cancer 

Opportunity

• License 
• Partnering 
• Research collaboration