Nanomedicines could replace therapeutic antibodies (Debesh) or be used as a preventative against viral or bacterial infections.
I’ve previously discussed the new types of businesses being built in biology. One of the segments I highlighted were nanomedicines, which are able to reduce viral transmission of COVID and STI’s. However, their prominence is increasing with expanded technologies and use-cases. With this article, I plan to cover the main types of nanomedicines, their current status, and future potential.
Nanomedicine is the technology that is underpinning RNA and DNA therapeutics and vaccines by allowing for the cargo delivery to a certain cell type. The most common use case of nanomedicines is in drug delivery, primarily through lipid nanoparticles or liposomes. ([Exosomes](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8531489/#:~:text=Exosomes are cell-secreted nanoparticles,important roles in intercellular communication.) are also of interest but harder to generate due to the our reliance on cells to produce exosomes).
However, with COVID, nanomedicines has been transformed as an enabling technology, to a technology which is the therapeutic or the preventative measure. Atom Bioworks uses DNA stars to bait viruses or antibodies, both with high affinity. Company originated from a paper validating its promise.
DNA shells encapsulate viruses which physically prevents infection. Not yet a company but Dietz lab in Germany working on it.
Nanosponges can prevent viral infectivity but tricking the virus to infect it instead of the host cell. This is the basis of Cellics Therapeutics.
Starpharma uses dendrimers (branched synthetic polymers) to help prevent infection via COVID or STIs (already on market).
DNA origami demonstrates additional potential as a drug delivery mode, as a 3D printing substance (for lithography) and a biosensor. Moreover, DNA origami might be able to replace certain types of enzymes to allow for more efficient biomanufacturing. This article shows a head-to-head comparison of DNA origami vs. enzyme ATPase (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04910-y).