Oncotelic and Sapu Bioscience Define 5-15 nm Nanoparticles as New Frontier in Drug Delivery

Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. and joint venture partner Sapu Bioscience have announced the publication of a comprehensive review article defining nanoparticles in the 5-15 nm range as an emerging frontier in drug delivery technology. The paper, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, represents the first systematic examination of nanoparticles exclusively within this specific size range and establishes a new pharmacological paradigm that could overcome delivery and toxicity limitations of both small molecules and larger nanocarriers.

The review article highlights how sub-15 nm nanoparticles achieve deeper tissue penetration, reduced organ accumulation, faster renal clearance, and enhanced diffusion across biological barriers including the blood-brain barrier. These characteristics address fundamental challenges in drug delivery that have limited the effectiveness of conventional nanomedicine approaches. The breakthrough size regime identified in the review offers significant advantages over existing drug delivery systems. Larger nanoparticles often face limitations in tissue penetration and can accumulate in organs, leading to potential toxicity concerns, while small molecules may lack targeted delivery capabilities. The sub-15 nm systems described in the review provide a middle ground that combines the benefits of both approaches while minimizing their respective drawbacks.

The implications of this research extend across multiple therapeutic areas, particularly in oncology and rare diseases where effective drug delivery remains a critical challenge. The ability to cross biological barriers like the blood-brain barrier opens new possibilities for treating neurological conditions and brain cancers that have traditionally been difficult to target with conventional therapies. The enhanced tissue penetration properties could also improve treatment outcomes for solid tumors and other conditions where drug access has been limited. This publication represents a significant milestone in nanomedicine research, providing a comprehensive framework for future development of drug delivery systems. The establishment of sub-15 nm nanoparticles as a distinct category with unique therapeutic properties may accelerate innovation in pharmaceutical development and lead to more effective treatments for challenging medical conditions. The research findings are available through the full publication at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262210842.