2019-994 Targeted Drug Delivery with Near-IR Light

SUMMARY

UCLA researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have developed a targeted drug delivery platform that can release drugs upon exposure to near-infrared light.

BACKGROUND

Stimuli-responsive delivery of drugs is an effective way to achieve spatially and temporally controlled drug release.  Various stimuli-responsive strategies have been tested in recent years, but challenges remain.  Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have generated interest in multiple applications, such as gas capture and heterogeneous catalysts due to their high porosity and surface area. However, it is difficult to use MOFs in organic applications due their inherent molecular instabilities. This often results in poor integration and poor conductivity. Recently, a new class of molecular structures, known as πOFs, have emerged and can self-assemble into a 3D porous material with desirable organic electron transport properties. πOFs have high CO₂ and N₂ adsorption capacity and excellent emitting homogeneity in organic electronics. They can maintain their high performance after 30 cycles under varying temperature due to their thermal stability. Recent developments in πOFs show potential for use in drug delivery applications. There is need explore this avenue to realize the full potential of πOFs and enhance current drug therapy processes.

INNOVATION

UCLA researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have developed an elaborate and robust porous structure πOF that can encapsulate and release of drugs upon exposure to near-infrared light. When exposed, the drug can be released within a localized area with excellent temporal control. The πOF structure can also be used as a photothermal agent for various cancer therapies with a high degree of controllability and localization or as an agent for photoacoustic imaging due to their narrow excitation wavelength. The stimuli-responsive πOFs are a novel and effective drug delivery method, and show promise in controlled delivery of antitumor drugs, insulin, and other therapies

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

• Drug delivery
• Small molecule encapsulation
• Sensors
• Photothermal therapy
• Organic electronics
• Organic light-emitting diodes
• Photoacoustic imaging

ADVANTAGES

• Robust frame
• Insulin trap and release
• Reversable structure
• Precise spatial and temporal delivery control
• Multifunctional therapeutic avenues

RELATED MATERIALS

• Dong Meng, Jonathan Lee Yang, Chengyi Xiao, Rui Wang, Xiaofei Xing, Olkan Kocak, Gulsevim Aydin, Ilhan Yavuz, Selbi Nuryyeva, Lei Zhang, Guogang Liu, Zhenxing Li, Shuai Yuan, Zhao-Kui Wang, Wei Wei, Zhaohui Wang, K. N. Houk, Yang Yang.Noncovalent π-stacked robust topological organic framework.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Aug 2020, 117 (34) 20397-20403; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010733117
• Li, Z., Xing, X., Meng, D., Wang, Z., Xue, J., Wang, R., Chu, J., Li, M. and Yang, Y., 2019. Hierarchical Structure with Highly Ordered Macroporous-Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks as Dual Function for CO2 Fixation. iScience, 15, pp.514-523.

STATUS OF DEVELOPMENT

     First successful demonstration by trap and release of antitumor drug by optical excitation.