João Nuno MOREIRA
GROUP
PATENTS
Granted patents
Targeted delivery to human diseases and disorders
United States Patent US Patent No. 8,741,338 (licensed to TREAT U, SA) Issued June 3, 2014
Inventors: JN Moreira, Vera Moura, Sérgio Simões, Conceição Pedroso de Lima
The present invention provides a system presenting site-specific accumulation through a ligand that specifically targets a receptor overexpressed on the surface of specific cells within a target organ, like, for example, tumor cells and/or vascular cells of tumor blood vessels. Moreover, this invention provides a method where, upon internalization of the previous-mentioned system by the target cells, triggered release at a high rate of the associated agent takes place, permitting efficient intracellular delivery and, thus, increased concentration of the transported cargo at the target site. Overall, this invention provides a method for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human diseases and disorders.
Targeted delivery to human diseases and disorders
United States Patent US Patent No. 8,529,944 (licensed to TREAT U, SA) Issued September 10, 2013
Inventors: JN Moreira, Vera Moura, Conceição Pedroso de Lima, Sergio Simoes
The present invention provides a system presenting site-specific accumulation through a ligand that specifically targets a receptor overexpressed on the surface of specific cells within a target organ, like, for example, tumor cells and/or vascular cells of tumor blood vessels. Moreover, this invention provides a method where, upon internalization of the previous-mentioned system by the target cells, triggered release at a high rate of the associated agent takes place, permitting efficient intracellular delivery and, thus, increased concentration of the transported cargo at the target site. Overall, this invention provides a method for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human diseases and disorders.
Targeted delivery to human diseases and disorders
United States Patent U.S. Patent No. 8,231,895 (licensed to TREAT U, SA) Issued July 31, 2012
Inventors: JN Moreira, Vera Moura, Conceição Pedroso de Lima, Sergio Simoes
The present invention provides a system presenting site-specific accumulation through a ligand that specifically targets a receptor overexpressed on the surface of specific cells within a target organ, like, for example, tumor cells and/or vascular cells of tumor blood vessels. Moreover, this invention provides a method where, upon internalization of the previous-mentioned system by the target cells, triggered release at a high rate of the associated agent takes place, permitting efficient intracellular delivery and, thus, increased concentration of the transported cargo at the target site. Overall, this invention provides a method for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human diseases and disorders.
Filed patents
PCT/PT2011/0008, No. WO2011119058 A3 (licensed to TREAT U, SA) Published April 12, 2012
Inventors: JN Moreira, Lígia Gomes da SIlva, Luís Bimbo, Adriana Oliveira dos Santos, Conceição Pedroso de Lima, Sérgio Simões
The present invention relates to F3 -peptide targeted lipid-based nanoparticles, adequate to encapsulate and delivery- one or more nucleic acids, comprising; a) one or more nucleic acids; b) one or more cationic lipids; c) one or more non- cationic lipids; d) one or more poly (ethylene glycol) - derivatized lipids; and e) one or more coupled targeting ligands which bind to the nucleolin receptor. The nanoparticles according to the invention have a high loading capacity, ability to protect the encapsulated nucleic acid, a size below 250 ran and a charge close to neutrality, which are adequate features for intravenous administration. The nanoparticles of the present inventon have the ability to selectively delivery a siRNA to cancer cells and/or endothelial cells from angiogenic blood vessels leading to an effective silencing of a target gene. These nanoparticles are used for the treatment of angiogenesis- dependent diseases, namely cancer, inflammation, an auto-immune disease or an ocular disorder.
Multi-targeting system comprising a nanocarrier, nucleic acid(s) and non-nucleic acid based drug(s)
PCT/PT2011/000005, No. WO20122108955 A1 (licensed to TREAT U, SA) Published September 9, 2011
Inventors: JN Moreira, Liliana Mendonça, Conceição Pedroso de Lima, Sergio Simoes
MuIti-component therapeutic strategies are frequently indicated for the treatment of heterogeneous diseases as cancer. However, the antitumor activity of drug combinations is extremely dependent of the molecular ratio of the combined drugs. This patent describes a multi -targeting system comprising a nanocarrier that was engineered in order to exhibit small size, high stability over time, high encapsulation yields of nucleic acids and the ability to specifically bind to receptors overexpressed at the surface of cancer cells. Further developments were performed in order to simultaneously encapsulate nucleic acids (gene silencing agents) and antitumural drugs (imatinib) in molar ratios allowing both molecules to be used in therapeutic doses. Therefore, with this product it is possible to mediate specific delivery to cancer cells and to address two specific molecular targets (a transcript and a protein) This unique properties thus render the system a great potential for cancer treatment, namely when resistance to chemotherapy is associated.