Carcinoembryonic Antigen as a Potential Biomarker for use in Targeted Drug Delivery Applications as well as Other Therapeutic Strategies
Abstract (Set) Blood-borne metastasis is a highly regulated and dynamic process, whereby cancerous cells separate from a primary tumor, migrate across blood vessel walls into the bloodstream, evade host defenses, adhere to the vascular endothelium of distant organs, extravasate and colonize these sites. JHU scientists have identified that carcinoembryonic antigen, expressed by colon carcinoma cells, possesses specific selectin binding activity. This fact provides the basis to engineer novel therapeutic agents that will selectively block tumor cell binding functions, and thus interfere with metastatic spread. Description (Set) • Specific selectin binding activity of carcinoembryonic antigen.• Unique target for metastatic tumor cell-targeted drug delivery applications. Proposed Use (Set) This technology can be used for nano-/micro-particle coating procedure to target carcinoma cells in the circulation to selectively deliver chemotherapeutic agents and cause tumor cell death. Also, based on this technology, biosensors can be developed for diagnostic purposes to detect malignant cells in fluid samples including whole blood.
Inventor(s): Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos ,Thomas, Susan
Type of Offer: Licensing
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