Silica-Coated Nanodiamonds for Imaging and Delivery of Therapeutic Agents

The NCI Radiation Oncology Branch and the  NHLBI Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics seek parties to co-develop fluorescent  nanodiamonds for use as in vivo and in vitro optical tracking probes toward commercialization.  

NCI and NHLBI investigators invented a robust and easily implemented method of synthesizing silica-coated nanodiamonds for imaging and therapeutic applications. A patent estate covering these methods is offered for licensing to commercial entities. The method generally includes coating nanodiamonds with a silica precursor, e.g, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), inside liposomes. The liposomes are then removed to yield a final product that is stable, monodisperse, and easy to functionalize. 

Competitive Advantages:

• Small size
• Physiologically inert carrier
• Monodisperse
• Stable in aqueous solution
• Readily functionalized
• Biological activity is determined more efficiently than chemical analysis
• High Specificity and selectivity

Commercial Applications:

• Imaging
• Drug delivery