Objective
The demographic changes in Europe towards an aging society will coincide with increasing morbidity of the population. European citizens need improved access to state-of-the-art medical care especially in oncology and cardiology, while keeping expenditures on healthcare affordable. New therapeutic options such as externally triggered local drug release at the diseased area hold promise to solve urgent medical needs: improved treatment with reduced side effects, fewer burdens to the patient and faster recovery after intervention. Nanomedicine, the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology to healthcare, will enable breakthroughs in clinical practice. SONODRUGS addresses clinical needs by developing novel drug delivery technologies for localised treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. SONODRUGS develops drug delivery concepts where drug release can be triggered by focused ultrasound induced pressure or temperature stimuli within the diseased tissue. New drug loaded nanocarriers will be designed for tailored drug delivery systems that respond to either of the two stimuli. Medical imaging, i.e. magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound imaging, will be used to guide, follow and quantify the drug delivery process. Therapy efficacy using different drug delivery systems will be assessed in vitro and subsequently in preclinical studies. Starting form research on a broad range of materials and drugs, two nanocarriers will be finally selected, optimized and produced on a pilot scale in combination with image-guided delivery tools and methods. SONODRUGS binds expertise in materials research (Philips, TUE, GhentRGN, HBBG); material production (Nanobiotix, Lipoid); clinical knowledge in oncology (UTours, HBBG) and cardiology (UKB); in vitro and preclinical validation (UTours, ErasmusMC, UKB); research on imaging techniques (UCY, Philips, IMF); pharmacokinetics, toxicology and biodistribution (ULSOP, IPT).
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologynanomedicine
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinecardiologycardiovascular diseases
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
- engineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imaging
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsultrasound
Programme(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-NMP-2007-LARGE-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
CP-IP - Large-scale integrating projectCoordinator
5656 AG Eindhoven
Netherlands
See on map
Participants (17)
20099 HAMBURG
See on map
67065 LUDWIGSHAFEN
See on map
75012 Paris
See on map
1678 Nicosia
See on map
9000 Gent
See on map
Participation ended
00014 Helsingin Yliopisto
See on map
WC1E 6BT LONDON
See on map
5612 AE Eindhoven
See on map
37020 Tours
See on map
Participation ended
33076 BORDEAUX CEDEX
See on map
01511 VANTAA
See on map
Participation ended
33100 Udine
See on map
3015 GD Rotterdam
See on map
48149 MUENSTER
See on map
02150 Espoo
See on map
3584 CX Utrecht
See on map
Participation ended
WC1N 1AX LONDON
See on map