Development of DDS using hollow bio-nanoparticles and their commercialization

Abstract

We succeeded overproduction of the HBV envelope L particles with an approximate average particle size of 80 nm in yeast cells. Because the L particle is an empty bionanoparticles containing no viral DNA, it can be used as a safe and efficient carrier for human liver-specific delivery (pinpoint delivery) of drug and gene. In addition, genetically engineered L particles that are able to target to various organs were constructed by deleting the hepatocyte binding domain of L protein (pre-S region) and displaying targeting peptide or protein ligands. Therefore, bionanoparticles are a novel nano-carrier applicable to the broad range of pinpoint DDS.