Drug Delivery

The Santerre Lab has investigated the use of polymers for drug delivery strategies by exploring the versatility of polyurethane chemistry towards solutions for regenerative medicine. By varying hard and soft segments in the polyurethane chemistry a broad range of possibilities is opened to increase the performance of biomaterials: from enhanced biocompatibility for blood contacting applications and low-immune response, to controlled biodegradation.

Antimicrobial technology for implants 

The antibiotic ciprofloxacin has been  incorporated into polyurethane polymer chains for use as an implant material with a release of antibiotic proportional to the extent of infection at the implant site.  This latter work contributed to the formation of a start up company, Interface Biologics Inc.  and conception of new antimicrobial resin monomers for dental composites. More recent work involves blending a ciprofloxacin-based polymer with polyurethane to form electrospun anti-infective gingival tissue engineering scaffolds.

Non-stent-based local drug delivery for the treatment of restenosis

Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) consist of a standard balloon catheter coated with anti-proliferative drug and a nanocarrier which could be delivered during the period of balloon inflation. The current commercial nanocarriers generated by the field present some limitations (including poor vascular wall tissue penetration of drugs during balloon inflation and diffusivity). The Santerre Lab in collaboration with the Interface Biologics Inc. are trying to overcome the limitations of the current carriers by the development of new biodegradable self-assembled nanocarriers that can be incorporated in drug-coated balloons (DCBs).

Single dose of anti-fibrotic biomolecule for cardiovascular applications 

Fibrosis, also known as scar tissue, is a result of pathological tissue remodeling usually triggered by an injury. In the heart, it is a common sequel of myocardial infarction; in heart valves, it can be a consequence of implants that do not heal properly after surgery, requiring additional open heart surgeries to replace the damaged valve. By using a hybrid composition of natural polymers and oligourethane chemistry, a recent work from the Santerre Lab involves the development of a delayed-release nanoparticle delivery system to carry labile, anti-fibrotic peptides to the site of injury in the damaged tissue. 

CRISPR/Cas9 delivery for gene editing

More recently, the Santerre lab is focused on the development of a non-viral nanoparticle technology for the systemic delivery of genome editing machinery with specific emphasis on targeting both mature skeletal muscle and satellite cells associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). These nanocarriers will address limitations with current CRISPR/Cas9 delivery systems, specifically: 1) eliminate the use of immune reactive viral particles; 2) enable co-delivery of guide RNA and Cas9; 3) reduce off-target tissue damage; 4) reduce off-target genetic changes; 5) is biodegradable; 6) and is non-inflammatory. 

Select Publications :

  1. Delaviz Y, Liu TW, Deonarain AR, Finer Y, Shokati B, Santerre JP, Physical properties and cytotoxicity of antimicrobial dental resin adhesives containing dimethacrylate oligomers of Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole, Dental Materials, 35, 229-243 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2018.11.016

  2. Delaviz Y, Nascimento M, Laschuk MW, Liu T, Yang M, Santerre JP, Synthesis and characterization of Ciprofloxacin containing di-vinyl oligomers and their polymerization, Dental Materials, 34, 711-725 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2018.01.021

  3. Wright, MEE, Wong AT, Levitt D, Yang M, Santerre JP, Influence of ciprofloxacin-based additives on the hydrolysis of nanofiber polyurethane membranes, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research part A, 106 (5) , 1211-1222 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.36318

  4. Wright, MEE, Yang M, Santerre JP, Electrospun polyurethane nanofiber scaffolds with ciprofloxacin oligomer: effect on drug release and cell attachment versus free drug, J Cont Release, 250, 107-115, (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.02.008