Synthesis of novel cancer selective theranostic nano vedices

With the aim to reduce side effects caused by classical anticancer agents, and thus developing a safer anticancer treatment, we focused our research on exploiting the well demonstrated target activity of a multiple antigen peptide of neurotensin (NT4) to selectively deliver drug (s) into the tumour. With the aim to maximize the targeting ability of the peptide, we developed a NT4 based drug delivery system in which a gold nanoparticle was used as highly functionalize carrier, to allow a greater drug loading of the peptide. Besides that, we developed different drug delivery systems with a different stoichiometry vectored drug/vectoring peptide, in order to evaluate the possibility to enhance the effectiveness of the DDs depending on the loaded drug dose. With the same approach, we planned the development of a combinated selective therapy and the synthesis of a selective diagnostic device, based on the well known DOTA.