A cancer therapy and diagnostic that utilizes a variation of "Boron Neutron Capture Therapy" to deliver intense, short-lived, therapeutic doses of radiation specifically to active tumor sites.

Available for licensing and commercial development is a cancer therapy and diagnostic that utilizes a variation of "Boron Neutron Capture Therapy" (BNCT) using radio- activate boron-nitride (BN) nanotubes, covalently bound to tumor-cloned antibodies (immunoglobulins (IgGs)) to deliver intense, short-lived, therapeutic doses of radiation specifically to active tumor sites. The therapy involves activation of the BN nanotubes with a neutron beam (as in BNCT) once the antibody (immunoglobulin (IgG)) carrier molecules reach their target tissue. This invention addresses two important limitations in of present BNCT: (1) the ability to target accurately the tumor tissue, and (2) the amount of radiation, e.g., how many boron atoms can be delivered to the tumor site. Most molecules that are currently used by BNCT can only deliver one or two boron atoms per molecule and do so without cancer cell target specificity. Thus BNCT is only as specific as the columniation of the neutron-activating beam allows. The instant BN nanotubes can deliver significant numbers of boron atoms (100s to 1000s) specifically to the tumor site while avoiding exposures to surrounding tissue. BNCT is a technique that relies on (non-radioactive) 10B delivery specifically to a tumor site and then activating it using an accurate beam of epithermal neutrons (low energy neutrons with velocities adjusted to penetrate tissue to the specific tumor depth where the 10B has lodged). BN nanotube structure is similar to the "rolled-up-graphite" structure of a carbon nanotube, six member rings but with boron atoms bound to three surrounding nitrogen atoms, and the nitrogen atoms bound to surrounding boron atoms (no conjugation). Thus, each BN nanotube is composed of a substantial number of boron atoms: e.g., - 50%, meaning hundreds to thousands for each nanotube. Boron has a relatively large radioactive cross section and can be easily made radioactive in a neutron flux. Radioactive boron is an alpha and gamma emitter with isotopes of 12B and 13B, having gamma energies of 4.439MeV and 3.68MeV, respectively. The covalent attachment of the BN nanotubes to the antibody (Immunoglobulin (IgG)) will rely on the terminal nitrogen atoms of each tube and can be accomplished using the following linker reaction (diagram may be viewed at http://www.ott.nih.gov/db/abstxt.asp? refno=1354).

U.S. Patent Application No. 11/005,412 filed 06 Dec 2004 (HHS Reference No. E-090-2004/0-US-01) Inventors: Dan A. Buzatu (FDA), Jon G. Wilkes (FDA), Dwight W. Miller (FDA), Jerry A. Darsey (Univ Arkansas), Thomas M. Heinze (FDA), Alexandru S. Biris (Univ Arkansas), Richard Beger (FDA)

Licensees sought. All licensing inquiries should be directed to Michael McAllister, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Office of Technology Transfer, 2801 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204-1099; Phone: 501/569-8658; Email: Jmmccalliste@ualr.edu.