Targeted particles comprising landscape phage fusion proteins and heterologous nucleic acid

1. A targeted particle comprising:

(a) a plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins comprising a filamentous phage pVIII major coat protein displaying a heterologous peptide, the heterologous peptide capable of directing binding of the targeted particle to a specific target site,

(b) a heterologous nucleic acid that is 10-50 nucleotides in length, and

(c) no more than 5% (w/w) phospholipids,

wherein the targeted particle comprises a molar excess of the landscape fusion proteins relative to the heterologous nucleic acid within a range of 60-fold to 100-fold, and

wherein the targeted particle is formed by self-assembly in vitro of complexes formed between the plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins and the heterologous nucleic acid, such that the landscape phage fusion proteins encapsulate the nucleic acid in the particle so as to protect the nucleic acid from degradation and allow delivery of the heterologous nucleic acid to the target site.

2. The targeted particle of claim 1 , wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is siRNA.

3. The targeted particle of claim 1 , wherein the heterologous peptide comprises no more than 9 amino acids.

4. The targeted particle of claim 1 , wherein the targeted particle binds specifically to cancer cells.

5. The targeted particle of claim 4 , wherein the cancer cells are breast cancer cells.

6. The targeted particle of claim 1 , wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is siRNA that inhibits expression of a gene selected from a group consisting of ABI1, ABL2, ACSL6, AF1Q, AF5Q31, AKT1, AKT2, ARNT, ASPSCR1, ATF1, ATIC, BCL10, BCRP, BFHD, BIRC3, BMPR1A, BTG1, CBFA2T1, CBFA2T3, CBFB, CCND1, CDC2, CDK4, CHIC2, CHN1, COPEB, COX6C, CTNNB1, CYLD, DDB2, DDIT3, DEK, Eif4a, EIF4A2, EPS15, ERBB2, ERCC2, ERCC3, ERCC5, ERG, ETV4, ETV6, EWSR1, EXT1, EXT2, FANCC, FANCG, EGER1OP, FGFR3, FH, FIP1L1, FUS, GAS7, GATA1, GMPS, GOLGA5, GPC (gene), GPHN, HIST1H4I, HRAS, HSPCA, IL21R, IIRF4, KRAS2, LASP1, LCP1, LHFP, LMO2, LYL1, MADH4, MDR1/Pgp, MEIS1, MLF1, MLH1, MLLT3, MLLT6, MNAT1, MRP1, MSF, MSH2, MSN, MUTYH, MYC, MYCL1, MYCN, NCOA4, NF2, NPM1, NRAS, PARP1, PAX8, PCBD, PDGFB, PHOX2B, PIM1, PLK2, PNUTL1, POU2F1, PPARG, PRCC, PRKACB, PRKAR1A, PTEN, PTPN11, RABEP1, RAD51L1, RAP1GDS1, RARA, RBI, REL, RET, RHOH, RPL22, SBDS, SDHB, SEPTIN6, SET, SH3GL1, SS18L1, SSX1, SSX2, SSX4, STAT3, TAF15, TCF12, TCL1A, TFE3, TFEB, TFG, TFPT, TFRC, TNFRSF6, TP53, TPM3, TPM4, TRIP11, VHL, WAS, WT1, ZNF198, ZNF278, ZNF384, and ZNFN1A.

7. The targeted particle of claim 1 , wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is siRNA that inhibits gene expression of a gene selected from PARP1, MDR1/Pgp, MRP1, and BCRP.

8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(a) the targeted particle of claim 1 ; and

(b) a pharmaceutical carrier, excipient, or diluent.

9. A method for inhibiting expression of a gene in a cell comprising contacting the cell with the targeted particle of claim 1 , the targeted particle binding specifically to the cell and comprising a siRNA that inhibits expression of the gene.

10. A method for forming the targeted particle of claim 1 , the method comprising:

(a) obtaining bacteriophage comprising a plurality of fusion proteins displaying a binding peptide for a desired target site;

(b) treating the bacteriophage with a denaturing agent and isolating or purifying the fusion proteins from the treated bacteriophage;

(c) preparing a mixture of the isolated or purified fusion proteins and a heterologous nucleic acid that is 10-50 nucleotides in length to form the targeted particle; and

(d) purifying the targeted particle from the mixture.

11. A method for forming the targeted particle of claim 1 , the method comprising:

(a) preparing a mixture of

(i) a solution of isolated or purified landscape phage fusion proteins displaying a binding peptide for a desired target site, wherein the fusion proteins are in non-assembled form and

(ii) a solution of isolated or purified heterologous nucleic acid that is 10-50 nucleotides in length, wherein the targeted particle forms in the mixture; and

(b) isolating or purifying the targeted particle from the mixture.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is siRNA.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises at east a 10-fold molar excess of the fusion proteins relative to the siRNA.

14. A targeted particle consisting of:

(a) a plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins consisting of a filamentous phage pVIII major coat protein displaying a heterologous peptide, the heterologous peptide capable of directing binding of the particle to a specific target site, and

(b) a heterologous nucleic acid that is 10-50 nucleotides in length,

wherein the targeted particle comprises a molar excess of the landscape fusion protein relative to the heterologous nucleic acid within a range of 60-fold to 100-fold, and

wherein the targeted particle is formed by self-assembly in vitro of complexes formed between the plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins and the heterologous nucleic acid, such that the landscape phage fusion proteins encapsulate the nucleic acid in the particle so as to protect the nucleic acid from degradation and allow delivery of the heterologous nucleic acid to the target site.

15. A targeted particle consisting of:

(a) a plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins consisting of a filamentous phage pVIII major coat protein displaying a heterologous peptide, the heterologous peptide capable of directing binding of the particle to a specific target site, and

(b) siRNA that is 15-50 nucleotides in length,

wherein the targeted particle the targeted particle comprises a molar excess of the landscape fusion protein relative to the siRNA within a range of 60-fold to 100-fold, and

wherein the targeted particle is formed by self-assembly in vitro of complexes formed between the plurality of landscape phage fusion proteins and the siRNA, such that the landscape phage fusion proteins encapsulate the siRNA in the particle so as to protect the siRNA from degradation and allow delivery of the siRNA to the target site.