TOPIC 324 PHASE I NOVEL IMAGING AGENTS TO EXPAND THE CLINICAL TOOLKIT FOR CANCER

Innosense, Llc, Torrance CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of an in vivo diagnostic platform for recognizing indicators of tumor-microenvironment, unambiguously, in biological fluids, tissue phantoms and small animal imaging. Specific project aims are to synthesize and evaluate cancer-specific, thermoresponsive, nanoparticle-based, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent contrast agents (ThermoDots) for optical imaging of tumors. ThermoDots will increase the payload and spatial resolution of the delivered contrast agent from the combined effect of: (1) enhanced signal of NIR fluorophores due to temperature modulation (TM) by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) agitation, and (2) targeted binding of prostate cancer-specific moieties conjugated onto the particle surface. Phase I tasks include benchmarking experiments to validate the design in relevant physiological media, tissue phantoms, cell studies and preliminary in vivo imaging using an orthotopic cancer model (PC-3M) in nude mice. The recognition relevance of ThermoDots will undergo second-stage validation in Phase II in the extended animal model studies using temperature modulated fluorescence tomography (TM-FT) guided HIFU small animal imaging. The project team includes a university collaborator with extensive experience in the tumor imaging area.