SwRI gets $1.6 million nanocapsules contract

The program is intended to determine, in preclinical studies, the potential of skeletally targeted proteasome inhibitors as an effective and selective treatment for myeloma.

Proteasome inhibitors have been under study as a treatment for myeloma and other cancers. They limit the function of the proteasome, part of the cell machinery responsible for cleaning up proteins involved in cellular function once they have completed their task.

Due to their function, proteasome inhibitors can have diverse and serious side effects. However, if they could be targeted to a specific site to act on the necessary cells, their effectiveness in treating cancer could be greatly increased.

The three-year study will formulate bone-targeting nanocapsules, determine their in vivo biodistribution and evaluate the success of using them to target proteasome inhibitors to myeloma lesions.

“Bone targeting has the potential to significantly reduce systemic exposure, reduce dosage requirements, and mitigate possible toxicity of proteasome inhibitors and other agents,” said Dr Neal Vail, a principal engineer in SwRI’s chemistry and chemical engineering division.

“This technology has tremendous potential for new therapies for bone pathologies including osteoporosis, fracture repair, implant fixation and tissue engineering,” he continued.

Collaborators and contributors to the program will include The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Osteoscreen Inc and The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.