Image-guided, tumor-targeted radionuclide therapy in disseminated tumors and in combination with external beam radiation using the sodium iodide symporter as theranostic gene

We are comparing and contrasting tumor specificity and transduction efficiency of novel polyplexes and engineered MSCs in more advanced tumor models, including a transgenic orthotopic pancreatic cancer mouse model and multifocal liver cancer and hepatic colon cancer metastasis mouse models. In addition to EGFR-targeted nanoparticles, we are evaluating further tumor-specific ligands for active tumor targeting of linear polyethylenimine (LPEI)-based polymers and novel sequence-defined oligo(ethanamino)amides as biodegradable carriers. Further, we are exploring the combination of polyplex- or MSC-mediated NIS gene delivery with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), which offers several advantages.