Utilizing the innate immune system to deliver therapeutic agents

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising at least one monocyte comprising an agent that increases monocyte homing to a site of injury, and an effective amount of a drug. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of using the composition to deliver a drug to a site of injury.

1 . A composition comprising at least one monocyte comprising:
 an agent that increases monocyte homing to a site of injury, and   an effective amount of a drug.   
     
     
         2 . A method of delivering a drug to a site of injury of a patient comprising administering to the patient a composition comprising at least one monocyte comprising:
 an agent that increases monocyte homing, and   an effective amount of a drug,   wherein the at least one monocyte travels to the site of injury where the drug is released from the intracellular space,   thereby delivering the effective amount of the drug to the site of injury.   
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agent that increases monocyte homing is a CCR2 modulator. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agent that increases monocyte homing is dexamethasone. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the agent and the drug are localized within one or more particles within the monocyte. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the particle has a cross-sectional dimension between 1 nm and 50 μm. 
     
     
         7 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the particle comprises a cationic polymer. 
     
     
         13 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the particle comprises a hydrophobic polymer core. 
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer core comprises a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid). 
     
     
         20 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of delivering a drug to the site of an injury in a patient comprising administering to the patient at least:
 an agent that increases monocyte homing, and   an effective amount of a drug,   wherein:
 the agent and the drug enter or attach to at least one monocyte, 
 the endogenous monocyte travels to the site of injury in the patient; and 
 the drug is released from the monocyte, 
   thereby delivering the effective amount of the drug to the site of injury.   
     
     
         39 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein one or more of the agent and the drug are localized within one or more particles within the monocyte. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the agent and the drug are both co-localized within one or more particles within the monocyte. 
     
     
         43 . A composition comprising at least one monocyte comprising an effective amount of a drug. 
     
     
         44 . A method of delivering a drug to a site of injury of a patient comprising administering to the patient a composition comprising at least one monocyte comprising an effective amount of a drug,
 wherein the drug is released from the intracellular space of the at least one monocyte at the site of injury, thereby delivering the effective amount of the drug to the site of injury.   
     
     
         45 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The composition of  claim 43 , wherein the drug is localized within one or more particles within the monocyte. 
     
     
         48 - 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 47 , wherein the particle comprises a hydrophobic polymer core. 
     
     
         57 . The composition or method according to  claim 56 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer core comprises a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid). 
     
     
         58 - 75 . (canceled)