Magnetic nanoparticles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10111971-B2
Application number	US-201715488122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	May 26, 2010
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A magnetic nanoparticle includes a magnetic core and a superparamagnetic outer shell, in which the outer shell enhances magnetic properties of the nanoparticle. The enhanced magnetic properties of the magnetic nanoparticle allow for highly sensitive detection as well as diminished non-specific aggregation of nanoparticles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject, the method comprising:
administering to the subject a nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle comprises:
a solid ferromagnetic core;
a super-paramagnetic shell on and contacting the surface of and surrounding the solid ferromagnetic core, wherein the super-paramagnetic shell has a thickness between about 0.5 nm and about 3 nm; and
a targeting moiety on the super-paramagnetic shell that specifically binds to the target molecule;

providing sufficient time for the nanoparticle to bind to the target molecule; and
generating a magnetic resonance image of the subject, wherein a signal in the image indicates the presence of the target molecule.

2. A method of treatment, the method comprising:
administering to a subject a nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle comprises:
a solid ferromagnetic core;
a super-paramagnetic shell on and contacting the surface of and surrounding the solid ferromagnetic core, wherein the super-paramagnetic shell has a thickness between about 0.5 nm and about 3 nm; and
a coating on the super-paramagnetic shell to bind to a target cell of the subject;

providing sufficient time for the nanoparticle to bind to the target cell; and
applying an alternating electro-magnetic field to the subject to treat the target cell.

3. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein the alternating electro-magnetic field causes an increase in thermal energy that treats the target cell.

4. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein the thermal energy leads to destruction of the target cell.

5. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein the target cell is a cancer cell.

6. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein ferromagnetic core comprises Fe, Co, Ni, FePt or SmCo.

7. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein the super-paramagnetic shell comprises an oxide of a magnetic material.

8. The method of treatment of claim 2 , wherein the super-paramagnetic shell comprises a dopant material.

9. The method of treatment of claim 8 , wherein the dopant comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, and ZnMn.

10. The method of treatment of claim 2 , comprising inducing aggregating of the nanoparticle with additional nanoparticles, wherein inducing aggregating comprises applying a magnetic field to the nanoparticle and the additional nanoparticles above a predetermined threshold.

11. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 1 , wherein the target molecule is within an organ of the subject.

12. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 11 , wherein the organ is a liver, kidney, spleen, or bone.

13. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 1 , comprising:
administering additional nanoparticles to the subject; and
inducing aggregation of the nanoparticle and the additional nanoparticles by applying a magnetic field to the nanoparticle and the additional nanoparticles above a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic core comprises Fe, Co, Ni, FePt or SmCo.

15. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 1 , wherein the super-paramagnetic shell comprises an oxide of a magnetic material.

16. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 1 , wherein the super-paramagnetic shell comprises a dopant material.

17. The method of determining the presence of a target molecule in a subject of claim 16 , wherein the dopant comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, and ZnMn.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Gen Hospital

Inventors

• Weissleder Ralph
• Lee Hakho
• Yoon Tae-Jong

Classifications

• B22F1/17

  Metallic particles coated with metal · CPC title

• B22F1/08

  Metallic powder characterised by particles having an amorphous microstructure · CPC title

• A61K49/1824 Primary

  coated or functionalised nanoparticles (liposomes A61K49/1812; nanoemulsions A61K49/1806; micelles A61K49/1809) · CPC title

• A61K41/0052

  Thermotherapy; Hyperthermia; Magnetic induction; Induction heating therapy · CPC title

• A61K33/243 Primary

  Platinum; Compounds thereof · CPC title