The present invention provides methods, compositions, systems, and kits comprising core-satellite nanocomposites useful for photothermal and/or MRI applications (e.g., tumor treatment and/or imaging). In certain embodiments, the core-satellite nanocomposites comprise: i) a core nanoparticle complex comprising a biocompatible coating surrounding a nanoparticle core, and ii) at least one satellite component attached to, or absorbed to, the biocompatible coating. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle core and satellite component are composed of near-infrared photothermal agent material and/or MRI contrast agent material. In further embodiments, the satellite component is additionally or alternatively composed of near-infrared optical dye material.

The invention relates to a novel use of ultrafine nanoparticles, of use as a diagnostic, therapeutic or theranostic agent, characterized by their mode of administration via the airways. The invention is also directed toward the applications which follow from this novel mode of administration, in particular for imaging the lungs, and the diagnosis or prognosis of pathological pulmonary conditions. In the therapeutic field, the applications envisioned are those of radiosensitizing or radioactive agents for radiotherapy (and optionally curietherapy), or for neutron therapy, or of agents for PDT (photodynamic therapy), in particular for the treatment of lung tumors.

The present disclosure relates to the design and use of specific drug-nanoparticle constructs where the loading of the drugs onto nanoparticle are through noncovalent interactions. The obtained nanoconstructs are smaller than 10 nm in hydrodynamic diameter in the physiological environment, are highly resistant to serum protein adsorption, can penetrate the tumor core deeply via passive diffusion, can be retained in the tumor cores through enhancement permeability and retention effect, can rapidly diffuse across interendothelial junctions but can also be rapidly eliminated from the background tissues and normal organs. In addition, off-target drug-particle nanoconstructs have very low accumulation in the liver and can be eliminated through the urinary system. Through the use of these nanoparticles, the toxicity and side effect of chemodrugs is significantly reduced and the therapeutic index greatly improved.

Disclosed herein are nanoparticle immunoconjugates useful for therapeutics and/or diagnostics. The immunoconjugates have diameter (e.g., average diameter) no greater than 20 nanometers (e.g., as measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) in aqueous solution, e.g., saline solution). In certain embodiments, the conjugates are silica-based nanoparticles with single chain antibody fragments attached thereto.

Provided herein are nanoparticle compositions (e.g., nanoparticle compositions comprising high atomic number ions) that are useful for imaging diseases in a subject as well as radiosensitizing a disease in a subject (e.g., radiosensitizing a cancer in the subject). Methods of imaging a subject, methods of treating cancer, and processes of preparing the nanoparticle compositions are also provided.

The invention relates to a novel use of ultrafine nanoparticles, of use as a diagnostic, therapeutic or theranostic agent, characterized by their mode of administration via the airways. The invention is also directed toward the applications which follow from this novel mode of administration, in particular for imaging the lungs, and the diagnosis or prognosis of pathological pulmonary conditions. In the therapeutic field, the applications envisioned are those of radiosensitizing or radioactive agents for radiotherapy (and optionally curietherapy), or for neutron therapy, or of agents for PDT (photodynamic therapy), in particular for the treatment of lung tumors.

The present disclosure relates to a process for the preparation of core-shell particles by the coacervation method encapsulating contrast agents for multimodal imaging. The process consists in: a. Providing a water in oil emulsion of a biocompatible polyelectrolyte polymer. b. Providing an aqueous solution of a biocompatible polyelectrolyte polymer having opposite charges of the polyelectrolyte of step a). c. Adding a crosslinking agent to the primary emulsion and the secondary solution. d. Adding at least a tracer independently to the primary emulsion or the secondary solution or emulsion. e. Adding the secondary aqueous solution to the primary emulsions and occurring of the complex coacervation leading to the separation of the coacervate particles. f. Optionally absorb a further tracer into the nanoparticles The disclosure also relates to the coacervates obtained by the above described process and their use as probe for multimodal imaging in the diagnostic field.

The present invention provides compositions relating to nanoparticles, such as nanocapsules, that selectively target cells associated with diseases or disorders (e.g., cancer cells). The present invention further relates to methods relating to the said nanoparticles for imaging, detection, and treatment of diseases or disorders in a subject. The present invention additionally provides kits that find use in the practice of the methods of the invention.

A size-changing nanoparticle construct for biomedical applications, and methods to fabricate and use such nanoparticle constructs.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided for imaging immune response of soft tissue to therapy by, prior to therapy, administering a contrast agent to the soft tissue; imaging a region of interest using delta relaxation enhanced magnetic resonance (DREMR) to define a functional section; selectively sampling local cells in the functional section; conducting immuno-assay analysis on the sampled local cells; and following therapy, further imaging said region of interest using DREMR to assess immune response of said cells to therapy.