Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) researchers and collaborators have developed a revolutionary nanomedicine delivery system with the potential to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
The study, published in Advanced Materials, was co-led by Dr Yi (David) Ju at ONJCRI and Professor Frank Caruso at the University of Melbourne, together with colleagues from RMIT.
Nanomedicine has been a significant area of interest for the cancer research community as it offers innovative and targeted treatment delivery.
Using the Australian Synchrotron and state-of-the-art cryo-imaging, the team has developed a new class of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that form complex internal arrangements such as cubes or hexagons.
These structures significantly expand the potential of LNPs by providing more surface area and greater versatility for carrying a wide variety of cargo.
Dr Shiyao Li, first author of the paper and Postdoctoral Researcher at ONJCRI, said:
“Our new lipid nanoparticles are more like honeycombs, with tightly packed and ordered compartments. Just like a honeycomb stores honey efficiently, our particles can pack and deliver medicines much more effectively.”
“A key benefit of our new class of LNPs is that their nonlamellar structures are tuneable, meaning their internal order and size can be precisely adjusted by varying the formulation. This flexibility allows us to design delivery systems for different classes of therapeutic molecules.”
Prof Caruso said: “The breakthrough will bring insights into nanostructured materials design and allow new applications in diverse fields, from molecular delivery for cancer treatments, to protein and gene therapies, and even diagnostic nanomaterials. There is wide capacity to tailor these materials to different delivery needs.”
Dr Ju said the team has patented a library of this new class of LNPs and that “the team is very excited about the potential of this new platform technology and is looking for industry partners to work with to develop new mRNA therapeutics”.
“Within five years, we hope to validate the platform with new therapeutic applications in animal models. Importantly, these LNPs can be produced using the same assembling equipment as current vaccines, but with components that are significantly more affordable than those found in existing LNP drug delivery formulations.”
The research was supported by Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project grants DP210103114 and DP250102188; ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) DE230101542; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant GNT2016732; and NHMRC Ideas Grant GNT2011990.
