Described are amphiphilic polymers that are provided with chelating moieties. The amphiphilic polymers are block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, with the chelating moieties linked to the end-group of the hydrophilic block. The disclosed polymers are capable of self-assembly into structures such as micelles and polymersomes. With suitable metals present in the form of coordination complexes with the chelating moieties, the chelating amphiphilic polymers of the invention are suitable for use in various imaging techniques requiring metal labeling, such as MRI (T.sub.1/T.sub.2 weighted contrast agents or CEST contrast agents) SPECT, PET or Spectral CT.

The invention relates to a kit for preparation of target radiopharmaceuticals, a method of using the kit to prepare target radiopharmaceuticals and use of the target radiopharmaceuticals. The target radiopharmaceuticals comprise a radio-nuclear loading on liposome and inhibit the tumor growth and metastatic progression of head and neck cancer, lung cancer and brain cancer. The radiopharmaceuticals may be used for treating the mentioned cancers.

The present invention provides hydrophilic bilirubin derivative particles containing a metal, a use thereof, and a preparation method therefor. The bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention form coordinate bonds with various metals, and thus can be used in MR diagnosis, CT diagnosis, photo-acoustic diagnosis, PET diagnosis, or optical diagnosis. The bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention can release an anticancer drug encapsulated therein to the outside by the combination with a platinum-based anticancer drug and the degradation by a stimulation of light/reactive oxygen species, and exhibit anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, and thus the bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention have a concept of theranostics in which the bilirubin derivative particles can be for therapeutic uses as well as diagnostic uses.

The present invention provides hydrophilic bilirubin derivative particles containing a metal, a use thereof, and a preparation method therefor. The bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention form coordinate bonds with various metals, and thus can be used in MR diagnosis, CT diagnosis, photo-acoustic diagnosis, PET diagnosis, or optical diagnosis. The bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention can release an anticancer drug encapsulated therein to the outside by the combination with a platinum-based anticancer drug and the degradation by a stimulation of light/reactive oxygen species, and exhibit anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, and thus the bilirubin derivative particles of the present invention have a concept of theranostics in which the bilirubin derivative particles can be for therapeutic uses as well as diagnostic uses.

Disclosed are biomimetic proteolipid nanovesicles that possess remarkable properties for targeting compounds of interest to particular mammalian cell and tissue types. In particular embodiments, drug delivery vehicles are provided composed of synthetic phospholipids and cholesterol, enriched of leukocyte membranes, and surrounding an aqueous core. These nanovesicles are able to both avoid the immune system, thanks to the presence on their surface of self-tolerance proteins, as CD-45, CD-47, and MHC-1, and target inflamed endothelium, thereby diffusing in the tumor microenvironment. These properties make the composition highly suited for targeted drug delivery to mammalian tumor cells in vitro and in situ.

Disclosed herein is a method of preparation and composition of biodegradable alginate microspheres that in an embodiment, are used in treating at least one of the following diseases hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal liver metastases, paraganglioma liver metastases, n neuroendocrine liver metastases, gastrointestinal liver metastases, breast liver metastases, melanoma liver metastases, pancreatic liver metastases, cholangiocarcinoma liver metastases, colorectal lung metastases, renal lung metastases, cirrhosis-associated thrombocytopenia, metastatic extrahepatic bile duct cancer, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, and uterine fibroids. The method of preparation of the biodegradable alginate microspheres can, in some embodiments, utilize a microfluidic cassette.

Disclosed are methods for designing and manufacturing biomimetic proteolipid nanovesicles using a microfluidic approach, and in particular, a NanoAssemblr-based platform, which allows for the high-throughput, reproducible, and scalable production of nanoparticles, without affecting their pharmaceutical and biological properties. These nanovesicles, which are composed of synthetic phospholipids and cholesterol, enriched of leukocyte membranes, and surrounding an aqueous core, possess remarkable properties for targeting compounds of interest to particular mammalian cell and tissue types.

Disclosed is a method of producing a vesicle containing a metallic nanoparticle that is covalently bound to at least one hydrophilic polymer and at least one hydrophobic polymer, wherein the method involves dispersing the polymer-bound metallic nanoparticle in an organic solvent, adding an aqueous solution containing a dispersing aid to form a mixed solution, sonicating the mixed solution to form an emulsion; and removing the organic solvent from the emulsion until the vesicle forms. Using this method, the formed vesicle has a diameter of 20-150 nm, which is useful for a method of conducting photothermal therapy (PTT) for killing cells, such as cancer cells.