Skip to main content

NEVERMIND PROJECT

“New frontiers of engineered nanovectors to improve treatment efficacy and safety in neurological disorders“

Fondazione Regionale per la Ricerca Biomedica – Collaborative projects – II Edition
Duration: 42 months (01/01/2020 – 30/06/2023)

Project overview

The drugs currently available for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of brain tumors can only slow down the progression of the disease. This failure is partly due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a gateway that regulates the passage of molecules from the blood to the brain tissue, thus reducing the entry of drugs into the brain.

Therefore, the aim of NEVERMIND project was to design and develop a new pharmacological treatment for Alzheimer’s and Glioblastoma based on drug-loaded lipid nanovectors (NVs).

The project follows a comprehensive approach, progressing from in vitro studies of NV interactions and toxicity, through ex vivo BBB models, to validation in animal models, assessing biodistribution and treatment efficacy. It also plans to test NVs on human cell cultures and blood samples to correlate genetic data with disease progression, enabling personalized treatment strategies by adjusting drug dosage within the nanovectors according to molecular and clinical assessments.

Consortium & Funding

NEVERMIND is a project coordinated by Fondazione Don Gnocchi – Milan, Italy (Dr. Bedoni).

Project partners include:

  • Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
  • IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas – Humanitas Mirasole SPA
  • IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele
  • Università degli Studi di Milano

 

Main achievements

The NEVERMIND project successfully developed multifunctional drug-loaded NVs for Alzheimer’s disease and glioblastoma, demonstrating their ability to cross the BBB in vitro. The biological effects were positively evaluated ex vivo, and their efficacy confirmed in animal models. This innovative nano-delivery system can directly target the brain, improving therapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects and comorbidities, and enhancing patient compliance. The project’s outcomes have the potential to reduce treatment times and healthcare costs for regional health systems, prolong patient life expectancy, and improve the quality of life for both patients and caregivers. Additionally, the results offer promising opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry to develop NVs aimed at controlling neuroinflammation, a common factor in the diseases studied.

 

Publications:

  1. Antoniou, A.I et al “Stimulus-responsive liposomes for biomedical applications”. Drug Discovery Today 2021; 26 (8):1794-1824. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.05.010.
  2. Taiarol L et al “The 3.0 Cell Communication: New Insights in the Usefulness of Tunneling Nanotubes for Glioblastoma Treatment”. Cancers (Basel) 2021;13(16):4001. doi: 10.3390/cancers13164001.
  3. Giofrè S et al “Dual Functionalized Liposomes for Selective Delivery of Poorly Soluble Drugs to Inflamed Brain Regions”. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14(11):2402. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112402.
  4. Rodà F, et al “Recent Advances on Surface-Modified GBM Targeted Nanoparticles: Targeting Strategies and Surface Characterization”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(3), 2496. org/10.3390/ijms24032496.
  5. Rodà F, et al “Raman Spectroscopy characterization of multi-functionalized liposomes as drug delivery systems for neurological disorders”. Nanomaterials 2023; 13, 699.

 

Main dissemination activities:

Animated video of 2D motion graphics by “Watermelon srl Film and animation” in both Italian and English versions (youtube, Nanomedicine for the central nervous system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaXErTxn014).

For brevity, only events where the LABION team participated are reported here:

  • Organization of a session at NanoInnovation2020 entitled: “Fostering Nanomedicine into Industrial and Clinic Setting” (Co-organized with University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi). 15-18 September 2020 (virtual event).
  • Poster presentation: “Biophotonics for the characterization of liposomes for Glioblastoma and Alzheimer’s Disease”. NanoMed Europe (virtual event) 7-9 September 2021.
  • Organization of a session at NanoInnovation2021 entitled: “Innovative approaches in unmet clinical needs for maximum health care impact” (Co-organized with IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Catanzaro and Sapienza University of Rome). 21-24 September 2021.
  • Oral presentation “Biophotonics for the characterization of liposomes for Glioblastoma and Alzheimer’s Disease”, Nanomedicine International Conference and Exhibition 2021, Milan, 20-22 October 2021.
  • Poster: “Raman Spectroscopy for the characterization of multi functionalized-drug loaded liposomes” SFNano, Angers (France), 6-8 December 2021.
  • Oral presentation: “Raman Spectroscopy for the characterization of multifunctional nanoliposomes for Alzheimer’s Disease and Glioblastoma”, International Conference on Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery, and Tissue Engineering (NDDTE’22) (virtual event). 4-6 April 2022.
  • Poster presentation: “Raman Spectroscopy and Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging for the characterization of functionalized nanoliposomes”. ETPN, Braga, Portugal, 20-23 June 2022
  • Organization of a session at NanoInnovation2022 entitled: “Innovative approaches in UNMET clinical needs for maximum health care impact” (Co-organized with IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Catanzaro and Sapienza University of Rome), and poster presentation.
  • Oral presentation: “Biophotonics platforms for the characterization of multifunctional nanoliposomes for Alzheimer’s disease and Glioblastoma”. Brayn, Rome, 28-30 September 2022.
  • Poster presentation: “Raman spectroscopy characterization of multifunctional nanoliposomes for neurological disorders”. NanoMed Europe, Liverpool (UK). 19-22 June 2023.