Midatech secures exclusive position to exploit magnetic noble metal nanoparticles through new IP licenses

Technology has potential applications in bacterial infection and cancer

Oxford, 4th February 2008 - Midatech Andalucía S.L., a subsidiary of Midatech Group, a world leader in the production and application of synthetically produced biological nanoparticles, has signed an exclusive world-wide license agreement with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and the Materials Science Institute of Seville, which is a shared center of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and the University of Sevilla (US). This license allows Midatech Andalucia to extend its world-leadership in the field of localised heating of mammalian, bacterial and plant cells. This extends Midatech’s priority applications dating back to 2000 and 2003 respectively (WO 02/32404, WO 04/108165) to now include the important discovery of magnetic behaviour in noble metal nanoparticles.

Midatech’s biocompatible nanoparticles have a range of unique characteristics that make them ideal for applications such as targeted drug delivery and diagnostic imaging. Their innate magnetic properties allow for localised drug release or cell apoptosis upon application of a radiofrequency electromagnetic field.

Less than 10nm in diameter, these nanoparticles contain a noble metal (e.g. gold) core, and at this nano-scale exhibit ferromagnetic-like behaviour. Exposure to an alternating magnetic field causes the nanoparticle core to absorb the field energy, which is then released as heat or chemical energy. The nanoparticles can be targeted to specific tissues, cells or intracellular locations by molecular area coding.

“This radiofrequency heating technology, when applied to our unique nanoparticle design, has exceptionally wide-ranging applications, a particular example being the use of localised heat to kill cancerous cells and drug resistant bacteria (MRSA). The licensing of these patents has strengthened our extensive IP portfolio and further increases the scope of our technology development with regards to therapeutic nanoparticles”, commented Professor Tom Rademacher, Chairman of Midatech Group.

“This is an exciting technology with many important applications. I am pleased to enter into the agreement with Midatech and look forward to seeing the huge potential of this technology realised”, said Professor Antonio Hernando from UCM.

Further proof of concept on the development of localised heating technology will be carried out at the CSIC, Seville, under R & D Agreement, under the direction of Professor Asunción Fernández, Head of the Nanostructured Materials group at the Materials Science Institute.

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For media relations, contact:

College Hill Life Sciences
Adam Michael +44 (0)20 7457 2020
Kathryn Robertson +44 (0)1260 296 506
midatech@collegehill.com 

Notes to editors:

About Midatech Andalucía S.L
Established in 2005 with its Registered Office in Paseo de Delicias 1, 41001, Sevilla, Spain, Midatech Andalucía is responsible for the exploitation of intellectual property relating to noble metal nanoparticles and their interaction with external electromagnetic fields. This subsidiary is developing a heating device for localised killing of bacteria and cancerous cells.

About Midatech Group
Midatech Group Ltd is a world leader in the design, synthesis and manufacture of biocompatible nanoparticles. These nanoparticles can be used to create a wide variety of products with novel characteristics, functions and applications that have the potential for multiple diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Created in 2000 Midatech has IP covering design, manufacture and application/use of nanoparticles in both diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical areas. As well as in-house product development it is prepared to licence this IP to 3rd Party pharmaceutical and diagnostic development partners whilst retaining manufacturing rights. Midatech has exclusive world-wide rights for technology relating to the synthesis and applications of self-assembling nanoparticles. The Company opened a cGMP standard design and manufacturing plant for nanocells – Midatech Biogune – in Bilbao, Spain in 2007.

The Technology
Midatech’s biocompatible nanoparticles possess a number of unique properties that make them ideal for therapeutics, diagnostics and other enabling applications.

• Nanoparticles are water soluble.
   
• Nanoparticles can present multiple ligands, allowing for multivalent drug or multi-drug delivery on a single particle.
   
• Their size enables drug delivery via different routes of administration, such as parental or intranasal. Their stability to enzymatic digestion may also permit oral therapy.
   
• Their outer shell (or corona) can be designed to be “stealth” (invisible to the host immune system); and are thus expected to present no immunological liability.
   
• Nanoparticles self-assemble in a single step chemical process. Manufacture is therefore simple, safe, scaleable and low cost.
   
• Superparamegnetic nanoparticles can be used as non-invasive imaging agents (MRI). Meanwhile nanoparticles with a ferromagnetic-like behaviour are well suited vehicles for inducing cell suicide by localised heating: apoptosis caused by heating of an intracellular or cell-surface bound nanoparticle when exposed to an electromagnetic field.
  
  
  For further company information see www.midatechgroup.com