A nanotechnology-based analog of monoclonal antibodies for targeted delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents

The goal of our research is in vivo molecular and cellular imaging. This includes but is not limited to the imaging of protein expression. Dendrimers are an extremely monodisperse polymer used in many types of targeted delivery. Dendrimer families currently used have only one type of surface functional group. Thus when adding both targeting and reporter molecules one gets an ensemble of dendrimer based agents with different avidities. This is analogous to the production of polyclonal antibodies which are a solution of different proteins that bind to the same target with different affinities, and avidities. Using tris-ester protected acids and α,ω-protected triamine building blocks we created a dendrimer family with two or more different types of surface functional groups and different protecting groups. This framework technology allows the independent and quantitative addition of targeting, reporter, and/or therapeutic molecules. This provides a solution of identical molecules all with the same avidity and affinity for the target, much like monoclonal antibodies.