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Starpharma is excited to share a new research publication focused on enhancing targeted cancer therapy through dendrimer technology! 🌟
 
A significant challenge in nanomedicine/drug delivery is that in vivo tumor accumulation of actively targeted nanoparticles often falls short of in vitro predictions. This latest research, conducted in collaboration with the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), demonstrated that dendrimer-nanobody conjugates targeted to HER2-positive tumor cells significantly enhanced tumor suppression and increased survival. 
 
The combined teams at Starpharma and MIPS successfully conjugated monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE)-loaded PEGylated dendrimers with tumor cell-targeting nanobodies to allow for precise, site-specific conjugation of an anti-HER2 nanobody onto MMAE-loaded dendrimers. Uniform nanoparticles were created, each carrying a single nanobody in the same position and orientation, maximising consistency and effectiveness. 
 
The data described in the publication showed that the targeted dendrimer-nanobody nanoparticles enhanced tumor cell engagement, intracellular uptake, and retention. The outcome? Amplified antitumor effects due to prolonged residence time of dendrimers within tumor cells, resulting in extended drug release timelines and specific tumor cell killing. 
 
This research highlights that biodistribution alone is not the best predictor of therapeutic success; cellular engagement and retention are crucial factors as well. Our controlled conjugation strategy preserved the unique properties of dendrimers—such as their small size and ability to penetrate deep tissues—while maximising specificity and potency. 
 
View the research paper here: https://lnkd.in/gcHp4bPt

New Research Paper Published in ACS Nano