| abstract |
Disclosed herein are novel targeted drug delivery and controlled release methods and compositions where optically absorbing nanoparticles, such as nanoshells, are functionalized on their surfaces with thermolabile molecules that bind the drug molecules to be delivered. The linkage between the thermolabile moiety on the nanoparticles and the drug is deliberately designed or selected to be temperature sensitive, so that upon illumination of the nanoparticle at a wavelength of light, the drug molecules on the nanoparticles will be released. Targeting molecules, such as antibodies, aptamers or other molecules like folic acid, can be concurrently bound to the nanoparticle surface to deliver the nanoparticle to specifically targeted cells or tissues prior to the photothermally induced drug release. In this way the nanoparticles can be advantageously concentrated on the target prior to illumination, which makes the disclosed compositions both a targeted delivery and a controllable drug release vehicle. |