Metastable liposomal formulations for hydrophobic drug delivery to a tissue or tissue lumen such the bladder have been developed. These are at least one micron in diameter and formed of one or more lipids having entrapped in the lipid a hydrophobic therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic agent. The greater stability of these liposomes, as well as the enhanced transfer of entrapped agent into the adjacent tissue, provides for better delivery, especially of hydrophobic agents such as tacrolimus which does not penetrate tissue well. The metastable liposomal formulations can be administered locally, preferably by instillation, or topically, for example, by spraying or painting, to a tissue or tissue lumen such as the bladder in need of treatment.

Compositions and methods are described herein that are useful for treating and inhibiting allergic conditions, including reducing the incidence of mast cell mediated anaphylaxis in subjects. The compositions include a carrier that displays an antigen and a Siglec ligand that binds to a Siglec on a mast cell.

Described herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modification of the surface of a living cell with a therapeutically relevant targeting moiety. Also described herein are methods for treating disease states, such as acute myocardial ischemia or infarction, with said compositions, in a subject.

A liposomal system for delivery of an active agent comprising: lipid component forming a liposome; destabilizing agent associated with the lipid component, the destabilizing agent capable of forming reactive oxygen species to oxidise unsaturated lipids and destabilise liposomal membrane; and an active agent; wherein the active agent is releasable from the liposome by exposure to high energy electromagnetic radiation.

The invention discloses a recombinant protein (P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and Neural Retina-specific Leucine Zipper) PSGL-1-NRL chimeric protein comprising a Selectin Binding domain and a non-covalent dimerization domain, which is a leucine zipper and is more preferably the leucine zipper domain of the human or mouse Neural Retina-specific Leucine Zipper. The chimeric protein further comprises a covalent dimerization domain with at least one cysteine suitable to form a disulfide bridge with another chimeric protein to form a homodimer. In the chimeric protein, the PSGL-1 domain corresponds to the extracellular region of Human PSGL-1 and is more preferably the selectin binding region of the mature protein. The chimeric protein is correctly post-translationally modified and is efficiently expressed in a mammalian system. It is sulfated, O-linked glycosylated and sialylated and binds P, E and L selectin, allowing in vivo and in vitro targeting for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

The present invention relates to nitroxide imaging probes that are isotopically modified or unmodified. Such nitroxide imaging probes may be included in liposomes that encapsulate self-quenching concentrations thereof, wherein the liposomes optionally comprise a targeting ligand specific to and having affinity for targeted tissue.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of nanoparticle composites that comprise covalently coupled stabilizing agent molecules that improve stability of the nanoparticle composites and allow for tight packing of lipids and/or membranes. The nanoparticle composites can further comprise inhibition inhibitors and/or lipid components that interact to form a hybrid lipid bilayer membrane around the nanoparticle core. The nanoparticle composites can be coupled to drugs, targeting moieties, and imaging moieties. The nanoparticle composites can be used for in vivo drug deliver, disease diagnosis/treatment, and imaging.

Microvesicles play essential roles in disease progression. The present invention provides a microvesicle membrane protein and application thereof. Disclosed is a method comprising phosphorylated CSE1L (cellular apoptosis susceptibility protein)- or CSE1L-binding agents for microvesicle isolation, analysis, or binding for disease diagnosis.

Methods and compositions are provided for objectively characterizing a pathological lesion in a patient. The method comprises: introducing into the patient a contrast enhancing agent; subjecting the patient to magnetic resonance imaging to obtain an image; and applying a 3-D autocorrelation function to a subdomain of interest of the image to obtain at least one 3-D autocorrelation spectrum. The method may further comprise comparing the at least one 3-D autocorrelation spectrum to a pre-existing 3-D autocorrelation spectrum that is characteristic for the pathological lesion. In one example, the methods and compositions may be useful for identifying and objectively characterizing amyloid plaque deposits characteristic of Alzheimer's Disease.

A composition for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications includes a heteromultivalent nanoparticle or microparticle having an outer surface and a plurality of targeting moieties conjugated to the surface of the nanoparticle or microparticle, the targeting moieties includes a first activated platelet targeting moiety and a second activated platelet targeting moiety.