NTERA: SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE CONVERGENCE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

摘要

The unprecedented pace with which novel pharmaceutical intervention targets is being identified and subsequent development of pharmaceutical compounds against such brings with it great hope but also a great many unresolved problems. Principal amongst such concerns is the inherent insolubility and toxicity of many compounds in clinical development. The convergence of nanotechnology with biotechnology has the potential to provide solutions that address both solubility and toxicity. Solubility of poorly soluble pharmaceutics is increased through their formulation as either nanocrystals or nanoparticles while antibody or peptide targeting technology enables the active targeting of nanoformulated drugs to specific disease sites within the body. Based on its unique approach, combining nanocrystal technology with targeting biotechnology, NTera is attempting to harness the synergistic power the convergence of both technologies enables. This paper provides background and future perspectives on current and future technologies.