Xiaoyan Bian

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are an essential component of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and genome editing therapeutics. Ionizable amino lipids, which play the most crucial role in enabling mRNA to overcome delivery barriers, have, to date, been restricted to two-dimensional (2D) architectures. Inspired by improved physicochemical properties resulting from the incorporation of three-dimensionality (3D) into small-molecule drugs, we report the creation of 3D ionizable lipid designs through the introduction of bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) core motifs. BCP-based lipids enabled efficient in vivo mRNA delivery to the liver and spleen with significantly greater performance over 2D benzene- and cyclohexane-based analogues. Notably, lead BCP-NC2-C12 LNPs mediated ∼90% reduction in the PCSK9 serum protein level via CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout, outperforming 2D controls and clinically used DLin-MC3-DMA LNPs at the same dose. Here, we introduce BCP-based designs with superior in vivo activity, thereby expanding the chemical scope of ionizable amino lipids from 2D to 3D and offering a promising avenue to improve mRNA and gene editing efficiency for the continued development of genetic medicines.

Simplicity and chemical expansion of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) offer the potential for increased therapeutic benefit of mRNA vaccines and medicines. 3-Component Zwitterionic Amino Lipid (ZAL) LNPs offer simplicity and varied organ target scope, though there is a lack of chemical and formulation exploration with this class of lipids. Herein, we report the synthesis and evaluation of ZALs with improved biocompatibility, enhanced mRNA delivery efficacy, and extrahepatic organ-specific delivery through derivation at the secondary hydroxyl position with opivalate, chloride, bromide, and acetate. Evaluation of these novel ZAL molecules revealed organ-specific delivery trends, changes in delivery efficacy, and an engineering framework for chemically modifying lipid components that correlate with each specific chemical modification. Furthermore, the most efficacious ZAL derivative, which contains an acetate modification, displayed enhanced immune cell transfection in an organ-specific manner. This study provides a roadmap for reducing the complexity of LNPs by decreasing the number of lipid components in an LNP from the canonical 4 lipids to 3 lipids and expands the chemical scope of LNPs capable of mediating extrahepatic delivery.

Developing lung-targeting delivery systems is essential for treating pulmonary conditions such as genetic respiratory diseases, infections, fibrosis and cancer. We synthesized and evaluated 444 lung-targeting lipids (LuT lipids) that form lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to efficiently deliver messenger RNA and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editors to lungs with minimal side effects. Empirical analyses revealed structure-activity relationships, with top-performing LuT lipids possessing a unique 'tripod-like' structure consisting of a quaternary amine head, three long alkyl chains as legs and a short chain as a handle. LuT lipids improved endosomal escape, cargo release and endogenous targeting via adsorption of plasma proteins. Lead 1A7B13 LNPs showed a 25.5-fold improvement in mRNA delivery and a 9.2-fold increase in CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing efficiency compared to benchmark DOTAP SORT LNPs, achieving over 90% selectivity to the lungs. 1A7B13 LNPs effectively delivered IL-10 mRNA in a therapeutic model of acute lung injury. This study reveals the relationship between lipid structure and lung-targeting activity, enriching the toolkit for lung-specific carriers.

Spectomycin B1 can inhibit neovascularization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by inducing deSUMOylation of VEGFR2 protein.