One of the most promising areas in the treatment of cancer has been the development of targeted anti-cancer therapeutics. However, past attempts to systemically deliver cytotoxic agents directly to the site of disease have been met with limited success. With the completion of its Phase 1 trial for Aurimune, a first-in-class tumor-targeted nanomedicine, CytImmune believes that such site-specific drug delivery is now possible.
The mechanism underlying CytImmune’s tumor-targeted delivery can be ascribed to the size and composition of the nanoparticles -- regardless of tumor type. By simultaneously binding TNF and PEG-Thiol to the surface of colloidal gold nanoparticles, the therapeutic payload travels safely through the blood stream avoiding immune detection and is preferentially delivered to the site of disease. At 27 nanometers in size, Aurimune primarily and preferentially exits the circulation through leaky, newly formed vasculature at tumor sites, selectively passing through gaps in blood vessel walls (fenestrations).
Preliminary data from our Phase 1 clinical trial indicate that Aurimuneis preferentially delivered to the site of disease with minimal accumulation in healthy tissue, as the electron microscopic analysis (below) of tissue biopsies from a cancer patient treated with Aurimune suggests.
Normal breast tissue in cancer patient
treated with Aurimune.
Breast tumor in same patient showing presence
of Aurimune’s colloidal gold (black dots).