Field-Deployable Neuroprotective Liposomes for the Targeted Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Over 500,000 cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been reported among U.S. military service members across the past two decades. While the initial injury can be devastating, it is often the secondary response within the injured tissue that can result in many of the long-term repercussions of TBI such as cerebral edema, inflammation, excitotoxicity, and seizures. As the U.S. prepares for peer and near-peer conflict in which air superiority is not guaranteed, it is paramount that therapeutic measures are put in place to prevent the development of life-threatening complications and bridge the gap between prehospital and hospital care. To address the need for a clinically effective and field-deployable neuroprotective drug product, Luna Labs USA, LLC proposes to develop a biopolymer-coated liposomal drug delivery platform for the targeted and prolonged treatment of TBI. Neuroprotective drugs will be loaded into liposomal nanoparticles that will be coated with a peptide-biopolymer conjugate. While the peptides will enhance permeation through the blood-brain barrier and target TBI-activated neural cells, the biopolymer coating will stabilize the liposomal nanoparticles and facilitate sustained release of neuroprotective drug payloads at the site of injury. Importantly, the formulation will be lyophilized into a dry format for storage and designed for rapid reconstitution at the point of care.