Stimuli-responsive NPs with excellent stability, high loading efficiency, encapsulation of multiple agents, targeting to certain cells, tissues or organs of the body, can be used as delivery tools. These NPs contain a hydrophobic inner core and hydrophilic outer shell, which endows them with high stability and the ability to load therapeutic agents with high encapsulation efficiency. The NPs are preferably formed from amphiphilic stimulus-responsive polymers or a mixture of amphiphilic and hydrophobic polymers or compounds, at least one type of which is stimuli-responsive. These NPs can be made so that their cargo is released primarily within target certain cells, tissues or organs of the body, upon exposure to endogenous or exogenous stimuli. The rate of release can be controlled so that it may be a burst, sustained, delayed, or a combination thereof. The NPs have utility as research tools or for clinical applications including diagnostics, therapeutics, or combination of both.

Described herein are pH responsive compounds, micelles, and compositions useful for the detection of primary and metastatic tumor tissues. Compounds described herein are imaging agents useful for the detection of primary and metastatic tumor tissue (including lymph nodes). Real-time fluorescence imaging during surgery aids surgeon in the detection of metastatic lymph nodes or delineate tumor tissue versus normal tissue, with the goal of achieving negative margins and complete tumor resection.

Disclosed herein are nanoconstructs comprising a nanoparticle, coated with additional agents such as cationic polymers, stabilizers, targeting molecules, labels, oligonucleotides and small molecules. These constructs may be used to deliver compounds to treat solid tumors and to diagnose cancer and other diseases. Further disclosed are methods of making such compounds and use of such compounds to treat or diagnose human disease.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for detecting tumor tissues in a subject. Embodiments of the present invention provide biocompatible chitosan nanoparticles suitable for dual modality optical imaging. Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for fabricating chitosan nanoparticles. Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for detecting tumor tissues in a subject using compositions provided by the present invention.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a nano diagnostic agent capable of selective staining of abnormal inflammatory tissues or tumor tissues. The method for preparing a nano diagnostic agent, according to the present invention, is characterized by comprising: a step of forming a first mixture by mixing polysorbate 80, soybean oil, and a water-insoluble staining material; a step of forming a second mixture by mixing and then heating the first mixture and a triblock copolymer; a step of forming a nano platform solid by cooling the second mixture; a step of forming a third mixture by mixing a solvent with the nano platform solid; a step of removing impurities from the third mixture; and a step of forming a nano-composite by freeze-drying the third mixture from which the impurities are removed. Thereby, the present invention can increase the search efficiency of a disease lesion by being transmitted through micropores of a tumor through direct permeation and absorption so as to precisely distinguish normal tissues from abnormal tissues.

Silica nanorings, methods of making silica nanorings, and uses of silica nanorings. The silica nanorings may be surface selective functionalization, with one or more polyethylene glycol (PEG) group(s), one or more display group(s), one or more functional group(s), or a combination thereof. The silica nanorings may have a size of 5 to 20 nm. The silica nanorings may be made using micelles. The absence or presence of the micelles during PEGylation and/or functionalization allows for the surface selective functionalization. The silica nanorings may be used in various diagnostic and/or treatment methods.

The invention relates to a poly(n-butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticle with dual modifications, a drug delivery system comprising the nanoparticle, and a method for preparing the nanoparticle or the drug delivery system. The nanoparticle is modified with a first modifier and a second modifier on the surface, the first modifier is a hydrophilic polymer, and the second modifier is an amino acid and/or a lipid. The invention further relates to a use of the nanoparticle in promoting drug penetration across the blood brain barrier in a subject.

The present invention aims at providing a novel indocyanine compound solving problems of conventionally used indocyanine green, such as solubility in water or physiological saline, a synthesis method and a purification method thereof, and a diagnostic composition including the novel indocyanine compound. Further, provided are a method for evaluating biokinetics of the novel indocyanine compound and a device for measuring biokinetics, and a method and a device for visualizing circulation of fluid such as blood in a living body, which utilize the diagnostic composition. Also, found are a novel indocyanine compound in which a hydrophobic moiety in a near-infrared fluorescent indocyanine molecule is included in a cavity of a cyclic sugar chain cyclodextrin to cover the hydrophobic moiety in the indocyanine molecule with the glucose, and a synthesis method and a purification method thereof. Furthermore, found are a method for fluorescence-imaging an organ other than liver by intravenous administration, a method for evaluating biokinetics of the novel indocyanine compound, a device for measuring biokinetics, and a method and a device for visualizing circulation of fluid such as blood in a living body, utilizing the diagnostic composition including the novel indocyanine compound.

Described herein are hybrid nanoparticles that are exosomes loaded with one or more nanoparticle dendrimers. Also included are pharmaceutical compositions including the hybrid nanoparticles and methods of making the hybrid nanoparticles. Also described is a method of treating a human subject by administering to the human subject the above-described hybrid nanoparticles.

Disclosed are Somatostatin receptor ligands comprising a peptide moiety, pharmaceutical compositions and uses thereof. Disclosed are also synthetic Somatostatin receptor ligands comprising a cyclic peptide moiety and an active agent moiety covalently bonded to the cyclic peptide moiety through a nitrogen atom of a side chain functional group of an internal residue of the cyclic peptide moiety, pharmaceutical compositions and uses thereof. Disclosed are also synthetic Somatostatin receptor ligands comprising a cyclic peptide moiety and a nanoparticle active agent moiety covalently bonded to the cyclic peptide moiety, pharmaceutical compositions and uses thereof.