Development of antiviral chemical vaccine system by combining electricity and nanoparticles

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19912
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 90:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: KOGURE Kentaro 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(薬学域), 教授 (70262540)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 南川 典昭 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(薬学域), 教授 (40209820) ; 福田 達也 和歌山県立医科大学, 薬学部, 講師 (90805160)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: イオントフォレシス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, lipid nanoparticles encapsulating antiviral drugs were noninvasively delivered intradermally by iontophoresis, which is an intradermal drug delivery technology using weak electric current, as a chemical vaccine, to suppress viral infection and multiplication for a long time by sustained release of antiviral drugs from the lipid nanoparticles in the skin. Using cytidine as an antiviral drug model, cytidine-bound boronic acid polymer nanoparticles (PB cores) were successfully constructed and coated with lipid membranes. 30% binding of cytidine to boronic acid and about 40% lipid membrane coverage of PB cores were confirmed. Furthermore, the obtained lipid nanoparticles were subjected to iontophoresis on the back skin of mice, and it was confirmed that the PB cores were delivered intradermally with the lipid membrane coating.

Free Research Field

薬物送達学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

イオントフォレシスと脂質ナノ粒子を組み合わせた、抗ウイルス薬の皮内での長期徐放によるケミカル・ワクチンシステムは、これまで誰も提唱しておらず、初めての試みであり、その点に学術的意義がある。また、本システムは様々なRNAウイルス感染症の予測できない感染予防にも有効であると期待され、特に有効なワクチンが無いデングウイルスや、要冷蔵生ワクチンが適さない発展途上国における狂犬病予防などに有効なことが期待される。さらに本システムの開発が達成されることで、新型コロナウイルス等の感染症に対する新しい予防戦略を提案できる点において、社会的意義がある。