Nanoparticle-enhanced IRE ablation for heat-sensitive tumor
This technology combines irreversible electroporation (IRE) — a technique that kills cells by zapping them with precise electrical pulses — with targeted nanoparticles that are engineered to bind specifically to cancer cells. The nanoparticles accumulate on tumor cells, and when the electric field is applied through electrodes placed at the tumor site, the combination destroys the cancer cells more effectively than either approach alone. Because IRE is non-thermal, it avoids the heat damage to surrounding healthy tissue that limits other ablation methods. The approach is designed for solid tumors, including difficult-to-treat brain tumors.
What you could build
A tumor ablation system pairing a nanoparticle formulation with an IRE pulse delivery device, sold to interventional oncology centers and neurosurgery departments treating inoperable or hard-to-resect solid tumors.
Who in Virginia should care
Inova Health System, VCU Health, and UVA Health all have active cancer surgery programs; medtech startups or device companies in the Northern Virginia or Richmond corridors with oncology focus would be natural partners or licensees.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Rafael V. DAVALOS, Marissa N. RYLANDER, Christopher B. ARENA, Yong Woo LEE
- Granted
- August 26, 2014
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8814860
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.