Payload molecule delivery using molecular rebar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086086-B2
Application number	US-201514628248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2015
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

In various embodiments a payload molecule or drug molecule delivery system is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes having specific properties. The composition can comprise a plurality of discrete carbon nanotubes that have at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes with a number average (ratio of number average contour length to end to end length) of greater than 1.1 and up to about 3. These discrete carbon nanotubes having the specified ratio of number average (tube contour length (T CL ) to number average tube end-end length (T EE )) ratio are not only discrete (separated) from one another, but are also controlled in their alignment such that processability and mechanical strength properties are both enhanced. Utility of the molecular rebar composition includes, but is not limited to improved payload molecule delivery, such as drug delivery, into body of an animal, such as human.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composition comprising: a plurality of functionalized discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes having an innermost wall and an outermost wall, the innermost wall defining an interior cavity, and at least one type of payload molecule; wherein the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes are open on at least one end; and wherein greater than 30 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is within the interior cavity of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the functionalizing groups are selected from the group consisting of bio-compatible surfactants.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the bio-compatible surfactants are selected from the group consisting of polylactic acids, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyglycolic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acids, carboxy methyl cellulose, peptides, polysaccharides, proteins and combinations thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the multi-wall discrete carbon nanotubes comprise at least one end having attached thereto a bio-compatible polymer, amino acid, protein, peptide or combination thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the multi-wall discrete carbon nanotubes further comprise a nucleic acid or protein which directs to a specific site, structure, or cellular component within a living body.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one type of payload molecule is at least partially released from the open ended multi-wall discrete carbon nanotubes by a mechanism comprising electromagnetic radiation exposure.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one type of payload molecule is encapsulated inside the multi-wall discrete carbon nanotube by a surfactant or polymer on the surface of the carbon nanotube.

8. The composition of claim 6 , wherein at least one type of payload molecule is at least partially released from the open ended multi-wall discrete carbon nanotube by removing the surfactant or polymer from the surface by a change in pH or ionic concentration.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functionalized discrete open ended multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprises tube lengths of varying lengths.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functionalized discrete open ended multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprises tube lengths comprising at least 2 groups of lengths, wherein each group's tube length varies on average by at least about 10% from the other group's average tube length.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functionalized discrete open ended multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprises multimodal tube lengths.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the payload molecule is selected from the group consisting of a drug molecule, a radiotracer molecule, a radiotherapy molecule, diagnostic imaging molecule, fluorescent tracer molecule, a protein molecule, and combinations thereof.

13. In a payload molecule delivery system composition comprising carbon nanotubes and at least one payload molecule, the improvement comprising using functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes, wherein the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes are aqueous-dispersible, having an innermost wall and an outermost wall, the inner-most wall defining an interior cavity; wherein the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an apparent aspect ratio and an average actual aspect ratio and are open on at least one end; and wherein greater than 30 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is within the interior cavity of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes; wherein at least about 5% (volume) of the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an apparent aspect ratio from about 50% to about 99% of the average actual aspect ratio of the discrete carbon nanotubes.

14. The composition of claim 7 , comprising greater than 4 weight percent carbon nanotubes, wherein upon dilution by 50%, the effective aspect ratio of the carbon nanotubes number average value of the discrete tube contour length to end to end distance increases by at least 10%.

15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functionalized discrete open ended multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprises multimodal internal diameters.

16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one type of payload molecule is encapsulated inside the multi-wall discrete carbon nanotube by a surfactant or polymer on the surface of the carbon nanotube wherein the hydrodynamic radius of the surfactant or polymer in aqueous media is larger than the internal diameter of the discrete open ended carbon nanotube.

17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the outermost and innermost surfaces of the discrete carbon nanotube have less than about 4% by weight of carboxylate and hydroxyl moieties and wherein the payload molecule is sparingly soluble in water.

18. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the outermost and innermost surfaces of the discrete carbon nanotube have more than about 4% by weight and less than about 40% by weight of carboxylate and hydroxyl moieties; and wherein the payload molecule is soluble in water.

19. The composition of claim 1 wherein about 10% or less by weight of the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an aspect ratio (L/D) of about 100-200 and about 30% or more of the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an aspect ratio (L/D) of about 40-80.

20. The composition of claim 19 wherein about 10% by weight of the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an aspect ratio (L/D) of about 100-200 and about 30% or more of the functionalized discrete carbon nanotubes have an aspect ratio (L/D) of about 40-80.

21. The composition of claim 11 wherein the multimodal distribution of tube lengths is asymmetric.

22. The composition of claim 20 wherein the plurality of functionalized discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprises an asymmetric, multimodal distribution of tube lengths.

23. The composition of claim 1 , wherein greater than 60 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is within the interior cavity of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

24. The composition of claim 1 , wherein greater than 75 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is within the interior cavity of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

25. The composition of claim 1 , wherein greater than 95 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is within the interior cavity of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

26. The composition of claim 1 , wherein less than 20 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is located outside the walls of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

27. The composition of claim 1 , wherein less than 10 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is located outside the walls of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

28. The composition of claim 1 , wherein less than 5 weight percent of the at least one type of payload molecule is located outside the walls of the discrete multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

Assignees

• Molecular Rebar Design Llc

Inventors

• Bosnyak Clive P
• Swogger Kurt W
• Henderson Nancy
• Everill Paul

Classifications

• A61K31/455

  Nicotinic acids, e.g. niacin; Derivatives thereof, e.g. esters, amides · CPC title

• A61K41/00

  Medicinal preparations obtained by treating materials with wave energy or particle radiation {; Therapies using these preparations} · CPC title

• A61K31/337

  having four-membered rings, e.g. taxol · CPC title

• A61K47/6949 Primary

  inclusion complexes, e.g. clathrates, cavitates or fullerenes · CPC title

• A61K9/703

  characterised by shape or structure; Details concerning release liner or backing; Refillable patches; User-activated patches · CPC title