Immune-potentiating drug nanocarriers and methods of production and use thereof

Abstract

Described herein are nanoparticle-based compositions, kits, methods and platforms for delivering drugs to professional APCs (PAPCs) in vivo resulting in a robust and specific immune response to a pathogen, e.g., Leishmania major. The composition, kits, platforms and methods involve the combined use of MHC targeting and immunogenic moieties (e.g., PADRE) with dendrimers (e.g., PAMAM and other dendrimers) as vehicles for the targeted delivery of anti-pathogen agents (e.g., AmB) to PAPCs via MHC class II molecules expressed on the surface of such cells such that the anti-pathogen agent is internalized by the PAPCs. The composition, kits, platforms and methods described herein provide for specific and efficient delivery of anti-pathogen agents (e.g., drugs such as AmBisome®) to PAPCs in vivo that results in a reduction of growth or elimination of the pathogen involving a robust and specific immune response to the pathogen. The nanocarriers described herein target phagocytes, shuttle their cargo into these cells, activate CD4 T helper cells, and act as an adjuvant to enhance immune responses.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.