Project description
Nanotechnology-based intracellular drug delivery to target Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health problem with an alarming increase of multidrug-resistant cases. TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that can survive inside host cells, mainly in macrophages. The intracellular elimination of these bacteria is more efficient with delivery of host cell-directed therapeutics. The EU-funded TBNANO project aims to develop and evaluate antitubercular drug-loaded nanocapsules capable of targeting host cell molecules. The surface of the nanocapsules will be functionalised with macrophage-targeting peptides and mannose derivatives. This nanotechnology-based drug delivery will enhance cellular uptake by the host macrophages, resulting in the efficient targeting of the intracellular mycobacteria, while reducing the undesirable drug side effects.