The present invention relates to a composition comprising liposomes, wherein the liposomes preferably comprise phospholipids, magnetic nanoparticles, an imaging agent and an imaging label, and at least one active agent. The liposomes are capable of releasing the at least one active agent into a target environment by the concomitant action of a phospholipase that is able to degrade at least one of said one or more phospholipids and an alternating magnetic field.

The invention relates to aqueous dispersions, comprising particles based on a magnetic iron oxide with dimensions of 20 nm, the surface of which is modified by the grafting of aminated groups R with a covalent bonding to the surface of said particles, wherein the isoelectronic point of particles with such a modified surface is 10. The invention further relates to a method for production of said aqueous suspensions and a method for modification of the surface of the particles present in said dispersions, in particular, by the immobilisation of polysaccharides such as dextrans, particularly for the formulation of magnetic compositions which may be administered in vivo and in particular for the formulation of injectable compositions of contrast agents for MRI.

A biocompatible magnetic material containing an iron oxide nanoparticle and one or more biocompatible polymers, each having formula (I) below, covalently bonded to the iron oxide nanoparticle: ##STR00001##
in which each of variables R, L, x, and y is defined herein, the biocompatible magnetic material contains 4-15% Fe(II) ions relative to the total iron ions. Also disclosed in a method of preparing the biocompatible magnetic material.

Iron oxide complexes, pharmacological compositions and unit dosage thereof, and methods for their administration, of the type employing an iron oxide complex with a polyol, are disclosed. The pharmacological compositions employ a polysaccharide iron oxide complex, wherein the polysaccharide is a modified polyol such as a carboxyalkylated reduced dextran. The complex is stable to terminal sterilization by autoclaving. The compositions are suitable for parenteral administration to a subject for the treatment of iron deficiencies or as MRI contrast agent. The complex is substantially immunosilent, provide minimal anaphylaxis and undergo minimal dissolution in vivo. The pharmacological compositions of the complex contain minimal free iron which can be quantified by a variety of methods.

Dendronized metallic oxide nanoparticles, a process for preparing the same and their uses.

Compounds with magnetic properties are provided herein, which belong to the category of metal oxide nanoparticles, coated and conveniently functionalized, which are conjugated with naphthalene compounds related to agglomerates and -amyloid plaques present in neurodegenerative diseases. These new nanoparticles (NPs) are used for the non-invasive detection of agglomerates and amyloid plaques using the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique. The nanoparticles described here cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), without the use of any membrane-disrupting agent. Likewise, they bind with high affinity and specificity to the agglomerates and -amyloid plaques, and are used as contrast agents in MRI for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and compositions useful for in vivo and/or in vitro enzyme profiling. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides methods of in vivo enzymatic processing of exogenous molecules followed by detection of signature molecules as representative of the presence of active enzymes associated with diseases or conditions. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides compositions and in vitro methods for localization of enzymatic activity in a tissue sample.

There are described magnetic nanoparticles the surface of which is functionalized with catechol and constructs comprising a plurality of said nanoparticles encapsulated in a biocompatible polymer matrix, wherein a molecule with therapeutic action is optionally dispersed, said polymer matrix optionally being in turn further functionalized; there are further described cells of the immune system incorporating said polymeric constructs giving rise to their engineering.

A biothiol-activatable composition is disclosed that is configured to dissociate in the presence of a concentration of biomolecules that are excreted normally by a liver of a living subject comprising a noble metal nanoparticle, a reporter molecule, a linker molecule that is conjugated to the noble metal nanoparticle and to the reporter molecule, but displaceable in the presence of the biomolecules, and wherein the reporter molecule is released in the presence of the biomolecules. The noble nanoparticle is preferably a gold nanoparticle; the reporter molecule preferably comprises at least one of a fluorescent dye molecule, a radioactive molecule or an MRI agent and the linker molecule is preferably a thiol molecule displaceable by biothiols in the liver. In another aspect, the reporter molecule dissociates from the composition in the presence of a concentration of glutathione similar to what is found in liver sinusoids of a normally functioning liver.