Nanomedicine Agenda

Registration

Coffee and Networking in Exhibiton Hall

Nanomedicines to Improve the Therapeutic Index of Drugs in Modern Drug Design
Marianne Ashford, Principal Scientist, AstraZeneca, United Kingdom

This presentation will talk about context and challenges of therapeutic index in the pharmaceutical industry. The importance of therapeutic index improvement for Oncology and how nanoparticles can improve therapeutic index along with various case histories.

Why a Dendritic Approach to Nanomedicines?
Delphine Felder-Flesch, Researcher, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Materiaux de Strasbourg, France

The small size of the dendritic objects and the dendronized nanoparticles is mandatory as it allows envisaging a crossing of the capillary barrier, a urinary elimination and a favourable biodistribution: in vivo studies performed with dendritic 111In-radiopharmaceuticals on melanoma cancer and for the characterization of the sentinel lymph node, but also pre-clinical studies performed with dendronized iron oxides of various sizes and shapes will be discussed.

Self-assembled Porphyrin Nanomaterials for New Approaches to Medical Imaging and Therapy
Jonathan Lovell, Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo, United States of America

Porphyrins have played roles in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, in particular based on how these molecules interact with light. We will discuss some recent approaches to form novel nanostructured materials from porphyrins and related molecules. New self-assembled porphyrin nanomaterials have potentially enabling properties for disease diagnosis and therapy.

Lunch and Networking in Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Tumour Regression after Intravenous Administration of Novel Tumour-targeted Nanomedicines
Christine Dufes, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom

Gene medicine to treat cancer is limited by the lack of tumour-selective delivery systems. The intravenous administration of a tumour-targeted dendriplex led to tumour disappearance of up to 90% of the tested tumours.

Biodegradable and Biocompatible Comb-Like Polymers for Biomedical Applications
Davide Moscatelli, Assistant Professor, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

In this work biocompatible and biodegradable NPs, with tunable hydrophobicity and biodegradation kinetics, were synthesized using novel Comb-Like Polymers (CLB). These NPs satisfy requirements for biological purpose for intravenous drug delivery in terms of size, between 20 and 300 nm, particle size distribution, biodegradability and biocompatibility. A number of obtained results for imaging (in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo), cell tracking (stem cells), cellular uptake studies, drug loading (antitumorals), toxicity studies, degradation and release studies are reported.

Magneto-plasmonic Nanoparticle Platform for Capture, Separation and Enumeration of Rare Cells
Konstantin Sokolov, Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, United States of America

Detection of disseminated tumor cells or tumor biomarkers in human fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva can provide an accessible tool for cancer detection and therapy monitoring. Here we will discuss the opportunities afforded by hybrid magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles and photoacoustic imaging for the development of low cost, nearly real-time assays for capture, enumeration and characterization of rare cells.

Coffee and Networking in Exhibiton Hall

ETP Nanomedicine and NANOMED2020: Towards a New Nanomedicine Horizon
Olivier Fontaine, European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine Representative, Nanobiotix, France

The European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN) is striving for a sustainable, competitive and profitable nanomedicine sector in Europe. As the ideal entity for cross-fertilization and collaboration between all stakeholders, the ETPN has launched several significant initiatives and delivered concrete strategic recommendations for the successful translation of outstanding research into innovative products.

End of Day One

Improved Oral Delivery of Antiretroviral Drugs Via A Novel Synthesis of Solid Drug Nanoparticle Formulations
Andrew Owen, Professor, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom

Antiretroviral drugs exhibit poor and variable pharmacokinetics and there is a need for strict adherence to drug-resistance. Recent pre-clinical data for antiretroviral solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) has shown putative benefits for oral bioavailability. Also, milling to form SDNs has resulted in intramuscular depot formulations with the potential for once monthly (or longer) dosing. This presentation will summarise these recent advances.

Coffee and Networking in Exhibiton Hall

Magnetic Nanoparticles in Surgical Oncology
Eric Mayes, CEO, Endomagnetics, United Kingdom

Dr Mayes will discuss Endomagnetics’ development of a nanoparticle-based system to increase access to the standard of care in cancer staging.  This system provides an alternative approach that avoids the requirement of radioisotopes for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), improving workflow and costs while increasing access for patients.

Nanoparticle-mediated siRNA Gene Silencing Against Brain Disorders
Mariarosa Mazza, Research Fellow, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Peptide nanofibres (PNFs) find many applications as biomaterials for tissue engineering and have also been studied for neuronal regeneration and brain delivery. Positively charged amphiphilic peptides able to self-assemble into PNFs have been engineered. These fiber-shaped nanoscale constructs can be exploited for the development of effective siRNA therapeutics. In this talk, we will illustrate recent experimental evidence on how peptide nanofibres (PNFs) can be designed as tools for siRNA-mediated gene silencing of specific and surgically-targeted brain foci. PNFs constitute promising nanoscale tools for intervention strategies in various neurological disorders.

Lunch and Networking in Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Conformational Changes Induced by Nanomaterials: Functional Implications
Rosana Simon-Vazquez, Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Vigo, Spain

Metal oxide nanoparticles induce conformational changes in some human plasma protein fractions determined by fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy.

Using In vitro and In vivo Models to Assess the Local and Systemic Responses to Nanomaterial Exposure
Vicki Stone, Director, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom

An overview of data describing translocation of nanomaterials following pulmonary, oral and intravenous delivery and then relating this to local and distal effects (e.g. in the liver) including oxidative stress and inflammatory gene changes.  There is an urgent need for better in vitro alternatives for nanomaterial toxicity testing.  This study compares local and distal responses with in vitro responses to nanomaterials and identifies scenarios that work, that don’t work and makes suggested changes for the future.

Close of Conference