Team:Wageningen UR

A standardized tool for site specific drug delivery using Virus-Like Particles

Medicines are generally active in a non-site-specific fashion, affecting the whole patient, including healthy tissue. Therefore, we attempt to specifically target diseased areas by packaging medicines inside Virus-Like Particles (VLPs). VLPs are not infectious, as they are built solely from viral coat proteins. We designed a modular Plug and Apply system that enables modifications to these coat proteins. The system facilitates the linkage of numerous ligands to the coat protein, thereby creating site-specific carriers. After expression of coat protein genes in Escherichia coli the VLPs were assembled in vitro, yielding modified Virus-Like Particles. Medicines can be packed using the Plug and Apply system or simply by addition during VLP assembly. Concluding, VLPs can be used as universal carriers for site-specific drug delivery, allowing customization to a variety of diseases while decreasing side effects for patients during treatment.