Introduction
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Find out about
our Technology.
Introduction
Advantages of nanoDIPs
Project Goals
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When healthy cells experience genetic mutations, they can be converted to cancer cells which are characterised by uncontrolled growth.
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These genetic mutations come from errors in cell replication, exposure to radiation and chemical carcinogens, hereditary predisposition, or viral infection.
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Through the blood, cancer cells can spread around the body in a process called metastasis. This establishes new tumours at distant sites which can increase the mortality rate to as much as 80%
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The first-line of treatment for cancer involves chemotherapy, which uses chemical compounds to kill cancer cells.
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Traditionally, these drugs are delivered freely through the bloodstream and kill any quickly dividing cells that they encounter, healthy or cancerous.
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This inevitably leads to undesired cell death in healthy tissues.
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Additionally, continuous administration at high doses results in cancers developing drug resistance. This can enable the cancer to relapse, despite chemotherapeutic drugs being present.
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In order to tackle the side effects and drug resistance from traditional chemotherapy, the latest cancer treatments encapsulate the drugs inside synthetic cells called liposomes. Liposomes are biocompatible, non-toxic, non-immunogenic and biodegradable, and can be engineered to deliver the drugs to specific tissues.
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Using nanotechnology, we assembled and embedded DNA-nanopores into the membranes of liposomes, which serve as gate-keepers for drug release. The DNA-nanopores are locked to prevent the passive exit of encapsulated drugs. An additional DNA-complex containing the ‘key’ to the lock is embedded in the DNA nanopores.
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In the presence of specific cancer biomarkers (i.e. proteases), the key is released to unlock the nanopore and allow the exit of encapsulated drugs at the tumour site.
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When around healthy tissue, the engineered liposomes remain closed, thus preventing unwanted cell damage.
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Advantages of nanoDIPs

  • More targeted and controlled release of encapsulated drugs – Drug-containing liposomes are engineered with nanoscale Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugates (nanoPOCs). This design leverages the unique advantages of each biomolecule into a chimeric complex to sense protein cancer biomarkers. This ensures that the engineered liposomes will only release encapsulated drugs in the vicinity of cancer cells.

  • Lower off-target activity – Chemotherapeutic drugs are encapsulated within DNA-gated liposomes, which prevents them from interacting with healthy tissue.

  • Reduced likelihood of drug resistance – Encapsulation of drugs and targeted release of cargo within engineered liposomes prevents the need for systemic administration of drugs to target cancer cells.
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