I-Corps: Magnetic nanoparticles as a magnetic resonance imaging and angiography contrast agent

Auburn University, Auburn AL

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of improved magnetic nanoparticles with safer profiles for biomedical applications. One specific market would be contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Current gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) cannot be administered to patients with poor renal function, and more recent clinical studies indicated long-term residual gadolinium deposition in the brains of healthy patients. As gadolinium is the source of safety concerns for current GBCAs, one possible solution is to replace gadolinium with bio-compatible iron-oxides that offer similar contrast enhancement. Conventional iron-based MRI contrast agents have a broad particle size distribution which results in undesired side effects and performance variability. The technology developed here enables tight control of particle size distribution and physicochemical properties, which improves the agent's performance and safety profile. Moreover, an iron-based contrast agent can be used as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of peripheral vascular diseases. This I-Corps project further develops a technology that enables the explicit control of the physicochemical properties of iron-oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles offer potential as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) contrast agents that overcome the safety limitations of currently used alternatives. Iron-oxide nanoparticles have been previously approved for clinical use as MRI contrast agents but were discontinued from the market due to variable performance and safety concerns - primarily due to formulations with a broad size distribution. The technology developed here enables the production of iron-oxide nanoparticles with highly controlled physiochemical properties and low batch-to-batch variability which yield reproducible MRI results. This homogenous formulation is expected to have more controlled pharmacokinetics and biodistribution profiles compared to conventional iron-based agents.