Particles for stimulating an immune response against viral infections

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method of reducing the spread of infection by a target pathogen in a host comprises binding a carrier to a target areas of the host's cells to reduce a likelihood that the target pathogen binds to the target areas, thereby blocking at least some of the target areas, and providing a gained advantage to the host's immune system to fight a disease caused by the target pathogen, wherein providing the gained advantage comprises decorating the carrier with epitopes to be used as a vaccination at target cell populations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing the spread of infection by a target pathogen in a host, the method comprising:
 binding a carrier to a target areas of the host's cells to reduce a likelihood that the target pathogen binds to the target areas, thereby blocking at least some of the target areas; and   providing a gained advantage to the host's immune system to fight a disease caused by the target pathogen;   wherein providing the gained advantage comprises decorating the carrier with epitopes to be used as a vaccination at target cell populations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target areas of the host's cells comprise a receptor, a target molecule, an amino acid or a nucleotide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a core and a functionalized surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the functionalized surface comprises features that mimic surface properties of the target pathogen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the features comprise protruding structures. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the protruding structures comprise peptide structures in the form of protein spikes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises at least one of an API, a drug, a protein, an amino acid, RNA, DNA and a molecule, wherein the at least one of an API, a drug, a protein, an amino acid, RNA, DNA and a molecule is configured to reduce the spread of the target pathogen or is configured to hinder replication of the target pathogen inside the host. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises a compound configured to hinder replication of the target pathogen. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the compound comprises at least one of an anti-pathogenic compound, an anti-viral compound and an anti-microbial compound. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target pathogen comprises a virus. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the virus comprises SARS-CoV-2 or another coronavirus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is configured to resemble the target pathogen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier can be loaded to a medical device capable of releasing an amount of the carrier to specific tissue of the host. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the specific tissue of the host comprises the host's upper or lower respiratory tract. 
     
     
         15 . A method of reducing the spread of infection by a target pathogen in a host, the method comprising:
 binding a carrier to a target areas of the host's cells to reduce a likelihood that the target pathogen binds to the target areas; and   creating an advantage to the host's immune system to fight a disease caused by the target pathogen;   wherein creating the advantage comprises decorating the carrier with epitopes or targeting ligands.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier comprises a core and a functionalized surface, the functionalized surface comprising features that mimic surface properties of the target pathogen. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier further comprises at least one of an API, a drug, a protein, an amino acid, RNA, DNA and a molecule, wherein the at least one of an API, a drug, a protein, an amino acid, RNA, DNA and a molecule is configured to reduce the spread of the target pathogen or is configured to hinder replication of the target pathogen inside the host. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier further comprises a compound configured to hinder replication of the target pathogen, the compound comprising at least one of an anti-pathogenic compound, an anti-viral compound and an anti-microbial compound. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the target pathogen comprises a SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus or a virus. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier is configured to resemble the target pathogen.