Nanoparticles, process for preparation and use thereof as carrier for amphipatic and hydrophobic molecules in fields of medicine including cancer treatment and food related compounds
The present invention regards nanoparticles comprising a sterol and a component derived from Quillaja saponaria Molina selected from quillaja acid and quillaja saponin, which nanoparticles do not comprise a phospholipid. It also relates to a composition comprising the nanoparticles, and the use thereof as adjuvant, especially in vaccines, as carriers for amphipathic or hydrophobic molecules and as agents for treatment of cancer. Further, it regards a method for producing the phospholipid-free nanoparticles, a method for the treatment of cancer and a method for assessing the applicability of the cancer treating method.
1. A stable two component nanoparticle comprising a first component comprising cholesterol and a second component from Quillaja saponaria Molina selected from quillaja acid and quillaja saponin in a ratio of first component to second component from 1:10 to 10:1, wherein said nanoparticle has a particle diameter in the range of 12-35 nanometers and wherein said nanoparticle does not comprise a phospholipid.
2. The stable two component nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles are formed from a sterol membrane and a quillaja saponin micelle in an aqueous solution.
3. The stable two component nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the quillaja saponin is quillaja saponinn fraction QHC from Quillaja saponaria Molina.
4. The stable two component nanoparticle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of an amphipathic or a hydrophobic molecule.
5. The stable two component nanoparticle of claim 4 , wherein the amphipathic or hydrophobic molecule is at least one member selected from an antigen, an adjuvant, a targeting molecule, a pharmaceutical compound and a food related compound.
6. The stable two component nanoparticle of claim 4 , wherein the amphipathic or hydrophobic molecule is chosen from Diterpenoid (DT), VLX40, Busulfan, roscovitine and vitamin D3.
7. A composition comprising one or more of the nanoparticles according to claim 1 .
8. The composition according to claim 7 , wherein different quillaja saponin fractions are each incorporated in different nanoparticles.
9. The composition according to claim 7 , further comprising pharmaceutically acceptable buffers, diluents excipients, adjuvants and/or carriers.
10. The composition according to claim 7 further comprising a vaccine.
11. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the vaccine is a pandemic flu vaccine.
12. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the vaccine is a seasonal influenza virus vaccine.
13. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the vaccine is a pandemic influenza virus vaccine.
14. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the vaccine is a vaccine against a biological weapon.
15. The composition according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one of an anticancer drug, a platinum coordination compound, a taxane compound, a camptohtecin compounds, an anti-tumor vinca alkaloid, an anti-tumor nucleoside derivative, a nitrogen mustard or nitrosourea alkylating agent, an anti-tumor anthracycline derivative, a trastzumab, an anti-tumor podophyllotoxin derivative, an antimetabolite, a steroid, an inhibitor of a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), an agent for treating cancer, Cytarabin, Daunorubicin, Paclitaxel, Docetaxel, Cabazitaxel, Toricsel, and Trabectidin.
16. A method for treatment of cancer, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of the two component nanoparticles according to claim 1 .