The present invention relates to ultrasound (US) mediated delivery of therapeutic agents, such as the delivery of a drug, gene, nanoparticle or radioisotope, using a bi-phasic microparticle system comprising gas microbubbles, emulsion microdroplets and clusters thereof. Thus, the present invention relates to a cluster composition and a pharmaceutical composition, and their use for delivery of therapeutic agents and as a contrast agent for ultrasound imaging. It further relates to methods for delivering such therapeutic agents and to the use of said compositions.

In the present invention, the development of various oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions containing an oil phase or oil core, preferably selected from vitamin E or oleic acid, stabilized by a sphingolipid of the sphingomyelin type, and optionally other lipids such as phospholipids, cholesterol, octadecylamine, DOTAP (N-[1-(2,3-Dioleoyloxy) propyl]-N, N, N-trimethylammonium methyl-sulfate), and PEGylated derivatives (derivatives with polyethylene glycol), for use as a nanotech vehicle, in particular for the management of cancer and metastatic disease, is herein described. Said nanoemulsions can be functionalized with ligands capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the cell membrane of tumor cells, and in particular capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the membrane of primary and/or disseminated or metastatic tumor cells. Also, antitumor drugs or therapeutic biomolecules can be encapsulated in said nanoemulsions and, finally, contrast agents can be incorporated for their use in the in vivo diagnosis in said nanoemulsions.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a nanoemulsion and a preparation method therefor, the nanoemulsion comprising an oil component, a surfactant, and an aqueous component, wherein the aqueous component comprises a water-soluble active ingredient, a polysaccharide, and hyaluronic acid.

A lipid-, polymer-, and metal-based system of modified nanostructures of active biomedical and pharmaceutical agents used for in vivo (whole body/organ or tissue-specific) imaging. The modified nanostructure system involves various combinations of excipients (lipids, oils, surfactant, polymers, metals, carbon, nanotubes, etc.) in a formulation that allows a user to: (1) sustain the bioluminescent, fluorescent, or contrast signal for a longer period than conventional systems without repetitive administration (e.g., nanostructure system of luciferin), (2) target specific sites of interest (e.g., organ, tissue, receptors, proteins, etc.) for enhanced imaging of the targeted site (e.g. nanostructure system of XenoLight DIR with CREKA allows imaging of tumor vasculature), and (3) increase bioluminescent, fluorescent, or contrast signal flux.

The present invention provides a novel liquid composition in the form of an emulsion or microemulsion for rectal administration comprising at least one dye, at least one emulsifier, and at least one physiologically acceptable excipient, and its use in a diagnostic endoscopic procedure of sigmoid colon and/or rectum. Preferably, said diagnostic endoscopic procedure of sigmoid colon and/or rectum is an anoscopy, a proctoscopy, a rectoscopy and/or a sigmoidoscopy.

Embodiments of fluorescent contrast agent compositions and formulations are provided for non-invasive administration, including oral, sublingual and buccal administration, e.g., for optical imaging of a subject's body part or tissue.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a nanoemulsion and a preparation method therefor, the nanoemulsion comprising an oil component, a surfactant, and an aqueous component, wherein the aqueous component comprises a water-soluble active ingredient, a polysaccharide, and hyaluronic acid.

The present invention discloses a solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) comprising: a) a solid lipid core comprising at least a glyceride and/or at least a fatty acid; b) a mixture of amphiphilic components forming a shell around said core a); c) an alkaline-earth complex with a compound of formula I and/or II: ##STR00001## d) at least a fluorescent dye selected from: a cyanine fluorescent dye and/or a polyetherocyclic compound selected from: coumarin, pyrano, quinoline, pyranoquinoline, indole and pyranoindole derivates in acid form or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These nanoparticles allow a prolonged blood circulation half-life, show enhanced photostability and improved fluorescence signal. The dye is preserved from degradation and improves the fluorescent quantum yield.

A topical composition includes a nanoemulsion of a plurality of hydrophobic particles having a hydrophilic coating therein. The hydrophobic particles are derived from the same or different hydrophobic material and each hydrophobic particle has a melting point below the melting point of the respective hydrophobic material. The hydrophobic particles comprise a mean particle size of less than about 10 nm, and the nanoemulsion further includes one or more pharmaceutically active agents.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for selectively treating a cancer or tumor utilizing an effective amount of a vegetable oil-derived polyol or hydrogel particles comprising a vegetable oil-derived polyol. In some embodiments, the cancer is a gynecologic cancer, specifically an ovarian cancer. In other aspects, the present invention provides a method of targeting and imaging various tumors and/or tumor associated macrophages (TAMs).