Grants and Contributions:
Title:
Extrahepatic Targeting of Therapeutic Payloads Via High Affinity Glycan Ligands and Glycan Binding Proteins
Agreement Number:
1036247
Agreement Value:
$110,000.00
Agreement Date:
Jul 1, 2025 - Mar 30, 2027
Description:
This Project seeks to revolutionize mRNA therapy delivery by creating a platform that precisely targets specific immune cell types, enabling more effective, safer treatments. Unlike conventional lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations, which often depend on passive targeting or liver-specific delivery (e.g., via GalNAc), this innovative approach employs glycan-based targeting ligands to specifically bind glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) uniquely expressed on diverse immune cells. Central to this work is a cell-based assay that evaluates glycan-targeted LNPs for their ability to selectively bind to model cell lines expressing specific GBPs and efficiently deliver their mRNA cargo. This assay is critical for assessing ligand selectivity, ensuring precise targeting among diverse immune cells. The technology’s potential impact is vast, offering new therapeutic avenues for autoimmune disorders, cancer, and infectious diseases by enabling safer, more accurate delivery of mRNA therapies (e.g., in situ CAR-NK therapies to enhance immune cells against tumours).
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:
In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.
Location:
Edmonton, Alberta, CA T5J 4P6
Reference Number:
172-2025-2026-Q3-1036247
Agreement Type:
Grant
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
108102831
Recipient Type:
Academia
Recipient's Legal Name:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Federal Riding Name:
Edmonton Centre
Federal Riding Number:
48015
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Purpose:
Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.
NAICS Code:
541710