Biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles containing functional metal nanostructures, preparation processes, and related uses in diagnostic and/or therapeutic fields

1. Biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles, comprising:

a biocompatible polymer; and

functional metal nanostructures;

wherein the biocompatible polymer is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) containing repetitive units having formula (I):

—O—CHR 1 —(CH 2 ) n —CO—  (I),

where R 1 is selected from: —H, C 1 -C 12 alkyls, C 4 -C 16 cycloalkyls, C 2 -C 12 alkenyls, the C 1 -C 12 alkyls, C 4 -C 16 cycloalkyls, C 2 -C 12 alkenyls being possibly substituted with at least one group selected from: F, Cl, Br, —CN, —OH, —COOH, —OR 2 , —COOR 2 , wherein R 2 is selected from C 1 -C 4 alkyl and benzyl; and

where n is an integer from 1 to 6;

wherein the functional metal nanostructures comprise gold (Au) nanostructures,

wherein the functional metal nanostructures have on a surface at least one hydrophobizing agent, wherein the at least one hydrophobizing agent is a thiol R 3 —SH, where R 3 is a hydrocarbon group, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic and/or aromatic, having from 4 to 28 carbon atoms, and

wherein the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles have an average size less than or equal to 200 nanometers (nm).

2. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , comprising:

greater than or equal to 70% by weight and less than or equal to 99% by weight of the PHA; and

greater than or equal to 1% by weight and less than or equal to 30% by weight of the functional metal nanostructures;

wherein the percentages are calculated with respect to a total weight of the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles.

3. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , wherein the PHA has a weight average molecular weight (M w ) from 5,000 daltons (Da) to 1,500,000 Da.

4. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , wherein the functional metal nanostructures consist of gold (Au) nanostructures.

5. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 ,

wherein the gold (Au) nanostructures are in a form of nanospheres, nanorods, nanostars, nanowires, nanocages, or nanoplatelets, having an average size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm.

6. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 5 , wherein the gold (Au) nanostructures comprise gold nanorods.

7. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the gold nanorods have an average length greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm, and an average width greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than or equal to 25 nm.

8. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one surfactant.

9. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 8 , wherein the at least one surfactant is present in an amount greater than or equal to 1% by weight and less than or equal to 10% by weight, and

wherein the percentages are measured with respect to a total weight of the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles.

10. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , wherein the functional metal nanostructures comprise a mixture of gold (Au) nanorods and magnetic nanoparticles.

11. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one active ingredient.

12. A process for preparing the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , the process comprising:

preparing an emulsion comprising: (a) a hydrophobic phase comprising a solution of PHA in at least one organic solvent in which the functional metal nanostructures comprising gold (Au) nanostructures are dispersed; (b) an aqueous phase; and (c) at least one surfactant;

subjecting the emulsion to ultrasonic treatment; and

evaporating the at least one organic solvent from the emulsion after the ultrasonic treatment so as to obtain a suspension of the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles which incorporates the functional metal nanostructures.

13. A process for preparing the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , the process comprising:

preparing a solution of PHA in at least one organic solvent;

preparing a suspension of the functional metal nanostructures comprising gold (Au) nanostructures in an aqueous medium in a presence of at least one surfactant; and

contacting the solution of the PHA with the suspension of the functional metal nanostructures so as to obtain a suspension of the biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles which incorporates the functional metal nanostructures.

14. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , for use as a contrast agent in diagnostic image analysis.

15. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 1 , for use in treatment of cancer.

16. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 14 , wherein the diagnostic image analysis comprises magnetic resonance techniques or photoacoustic techniques.

17. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the gold nanorods have an average length greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm.

18. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the gold nanorods have an average width greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than or equal to 25 nm.

19. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the gold nanorods have an aspect ratio, of length divided by width, greater than or equal to 2:1 and less than or equal to 20:1.

20. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the gold nanorods have an aspect ratio, of length divided by width, greater than or equal to 3:1 and less than or equal to 10:1.