Introduction

Noble metal nanomaterials have the potential to introduce to clinics novel/enhanced treatments for non-communicable diseases. However, therapeutics cannot persist in organisms after the designed action. This pre-requisite is currently not fulfilled by any noble metal nanoparticle, preventing their translation to the market. To combine the intriguing behavior of noble metal nanomaterials with their excretion, peculiar nano-architectures (NAs) have been designed. NAs are 100 nm biodegradable silica nanocapsules comprising ultrasmall nanoparticles (USNPs) and functional polymers.

Technical features

NAs are the first nanoplatforms that avoid metal persistence in organisms after the designed theranostic action. Indeed, NAs (bio)degradation has been demonstrated together with the biosafety profile and the building blocks excretion kinetics. NAs are the breakthrough for addressing the long-standing challenge for the clinical translation of noble metal nanotherapeutics. Due to our groundbreaking approach, effective non-invasive treatments of neoplasms driven by noble metal nanoparticles may be no longer a dream but a real possibility in the very next future, paving the way for the paradigm shift of the next generation of therapeutics. The NAs production is standardized, the handcrafted cost is about 0.1€/mg, and they are intrinsically sterile as produced, stored, and shipped in ethanol 95%. Production and storage are at room temperature. TRL: 4-5.

Related Application: PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF HOLLOW NANOPARTICLES WITH METAL CORE

Possible Applications

• Radiodiagnostics;
• Chemo(radio)therapeutics;
• Cosmetics additives;
• Antimicrobials.

Advantages

• Excretion after the designed action;
• Standard & scalable production;
• Production & storage at room temperature.