Nanoclusters comprising inorganic nanocrystals and a biodegradable polymer are disclosed. The inorganic nanocrystals have a mean particle size of 1 to 500 nm. The inorganic nanocrystals are contained within a core of the nanoclusters, on the surface of the nanoclusters, contained within a core of the nanoclusters, dispersed throughout the nanoclusters, or a combination thereof. The biodegradable polymer allows the inorganic nanocrystals to be excreted renally over a period of time. The nanoclusters can be used for medical imaging or other biomedical applications.

The present invention relates to new molecular design that allows micelles to report their activation and disassembly by an enzymatic trigger. The molecular design is based on introduction of a labeling moiety selected from a fluorescent dye, a dark quencher, combinations of dyes or dyes/quenchers, and a fluorinated moiety (a .sup.19F-magenetic resonance (MR) probe for turn ON/OFF of a .sup.19F-MR signal) through covalent binding to the focal point of amphiphilic polymer-dendron hybrids with the labeling moiety. At the assembled micellar state, the dyes are closely packed and hence the probability for intermolecular interactions increases significantly, leading to alteration of the fluorescent properties (signal quench or shift) or the .sup.19F-MR signal (OFF state) of the micelles. Upon enzymatic cleavage of the hydrophobic end-groups from enzyme-responsive dendron, the polymers become hydrophilic and disassemble. This structural change is then translated into a spectral change as dye-dye interactions are halted and the dyes regain their intrinsic fluorescent properties, or alternatively by turn ON the .sup.19F-MR signal. The high modularity of the design allows the introduction of various types of dyes and thus enables rational adjustment of the spectral response. Two major types of responses are described: Turn-On/Off and spectral shift, depending on the type of labeling dye. The present invention further provides methods of use of the hybrid delivery system and to a kit comprising the same.

Provided herein are block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic polymer segment and a hydrophobic polymer segment, wherein the hydrophilic polymer segment comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(methacrylate phosphatidyl choline) (MPC), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), wherein the hydrophobic polymer segment comprises

##STR00001##

wherein R is H or CH.sub.3, wherein R is NR.sup.1R.sup.2, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together have from 5 to 16 carbons, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may optionally join to form a ring, wherein n is 1 to about 10, and wherein x is about 20 to about 200 in total. Also provided are pH-sensitive micelle compositions for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Provided herein are block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic polymer segment and a hydrophobic polymer segment, wherein the hydrophilic polymer segment comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(methacrylate phosphatidyl choline) (MPC), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), wherein the hydrophobic polymer segment comprises

##STR00001##

wherein R is H or CH.sub.3, wherein R is NR.sup.1R.sup.2, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together have from 5 to 16 carbons, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may optionally join to form a ring, wherein n is 1 to about 10, and wherein x is about 20 to about 200 in total. Also provided are pH-sensitive micelle compositions for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Provided herein are block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic polymer segment and a hydrophobic polymer segment, wherein the hydrophilic polymer segment comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(methacrylate phosphatidyl choline) (MPC), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), wherein the hydrophobic polymer segment comprises

##STR00001##

wherein R is H or CH.sub.3, wherein R is NR.sup.1R.sup.2, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together have from 5 to 16 carbons, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may optionally join to form a ring, wherein n is 1 to about 10, and wherein x is about 20 to about 200 in total. Also provided are pH-sensitive micelle compositions for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Several embodiments relate to engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) using the membrane cloaking platform technology described herein, the cloaking imparting to the EVs enhanced delivery to tissues of interest, such as damaged or dysfunctional tissue. Several embodiments relate to engineering exosomes derived from cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) using the membrane cloaking platform technology described herein to confer enhanced tissue homing specificities, thereby leading to repair and regeneration at sites of injury. Uses of engineered EV compositions to treat diseases are also provided for in several embodiments.

The present invention is related to a targeted type shell for drug delivery system. The object of the present invention is to provide the targeted type shell for DDS, which comprises a carbosilane dendrimer containing a silole produced by which is formed by utilizing the reaction between thiol group and alkyl halide, and a targeted protein containing a labeled proteins such as green fluorescent protein with a target recognition site. The shell may incorporate compounds having a variety of molecular weight and biopolymers, and selectively deliver them into targeted cells.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a nanocarrier in a micelle structure, a pharmaceutical composition for diagnosis of cancer, comprising the same nanocarrier, and a method for preparing the same nanocarrier. The nanocarrier is obtained by dispersing a water-in-oil nanoemulsion containing an oil phase ingredient, a surfactant, and an aqueous phase ingredient inclusive of a cancer cell fluorescence-inducing substance and a cancer cell-targeting polysaccharide in water to remove the oil phase ingredient, whereby the nanocarrier includes the aqueous phase ingredient.

A liquid crystal nanoparticle (LCNP)-based system allows for the encapsulation and targeted delivery of Zinc (II) phthalocyanine (ZnPC) to the plasma membrane bilayer of living cells for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The formulation comprises LCNPs that are loaded in their hydrophobic core with perylene (PY) and ZnPC. In embodiments, the LCNP surface is functionalized with Poly(ethylene glycol)-cholesterol conjugates (PEG-Chol) and/or another material enabling targeting the particle to the cellular membrane. This can improve cell killing via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation as it allows for the localized ROS-mediated peroxidation of lipids in the membrane bilayer.

Disclosed is a conjugated polymer-based nanoprobe, including a fluorescent conjugated polymer, a surface ligand, a target molecule, a near-infrared fluorescent dye and optionally a gadolinium-containing magnetic resonance contrast agent. This application also discloses a method for preparing the conjugated polymer-based nanoprobe, including: adding raw materials to an organic solvent followed by ultrasonication to obtain a mixture; and adding the mixture to ultrapure water and continuously ultrasonicating the reaction mixture. The conjugated polymer-based nanoprobe can be applied in a combined molecular imaging technique of near infrared fluorescence imaging, photoacoustic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging to effectively recognize metastatic lymph nodes and normal lymph nodes, and it can be retained in the metastatic lymph nodes for a long time, meeting the requirements for long-term observation. Moreover, the near-infrared fluorescent conjugated polymer-based nanoprobe can generate reactive oxygen under irradiation, which is suitable for the photodynamic treatment of tumors.