01WHY OUR SYSTEMS

The mesoporous silica micro- and nano-particles are ideal candidates for the development of systems for target drug delivery , because they are easily synthesized , versatile , biocompatible and soluble in biological fluids.

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02ABOUT US

NanoSiliCal Devices is a spin-off at the University of Calabria and an innovative start-up , founded in 2014; it aims to develop nanostructured products that may be exploited as smart anticancer therapies.

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03INVESTORS

Biotechnology market shows a growing trend and it will further increase in the next years. The highly innovative technologies offered by NanoSiliCal Devices might be a very important opportunity to potential investors, collaboration partners and licensees from the international biopharmaceutical industry.

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04LABORATORIES

The headquarters of NanoSiliCal Devices is housed, together with other ones, within an area of the Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, committed to technology transfer.

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LATEST PUBLICATIONS

Mesoporous silicas in materials engineering: Nanodevices for bionanotechnologies

Elisabetta Mazzotta, Marzia De Santo, Domenico Lombardo, Antonella Leggio, Luigi Pasqua

Engineered mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles as smart chemotherapy nanodevice for bortezomib administration

M. De Santo, A. Giovinazzo, M. Fava, E. Mazzotta, I. E. De Napoli, M. Greco, A. Comande´, A. Nigro, P. Argurio, I. Perrotta, M. Davoli, A. Tagarelli, R. Elliani, T. Granato, G. Nicolini, A. Chiorazzi, S. Semperboni, E. Ballarini, C. Crocamo, G. Cavaletti, D. Lombardo, D. Sisci, C. Morelli , A. Leggio and L. Pasqua

Peptides Targeting HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells and Applications in Tumor Imaging and Delivery of Chemotherapeutics

EPalmira Alessia Cavallaro , Marzia De Santo , Emilia Lucia Belsito, Camilla Longobucco, Manuela Curcio , Catia Morelli, Luigi Pasqua and Antonella Leggio

Please contact Dr. Luigi Pasqua to get a copy of the publications.

What makes us so specialOUR PRODUCTS

Our products technology is based on science of materials, providing nanostructured particles that can be administered intravenously, and, through the bloodstream, they can reach cancer cells, interact with them through a biological process and release a drug within. This leads to reduction of therapeutic doses, with a consequent therapeutic efficacy improvement and without toxic and side effects.

15Professional Staff
10Years of Experience
2patents granted
5financed projects (EU and local)
MSN carriers of a pro-drug and a targeting function

Mesoporous silica-based nanodevices (MSN) bearing a targeting molecule on the outer surface and an antineoplastic pro-drug linked within the pores by means of a pH-sensitive bond, as vehicles for targeting and release of biologically active molecules, are developed to be employed in targeted therapy. Suitable nanostructuring of matter better than with polymers because of nanoarchitecture and surface reactivity. Their pH-sensitive bond provides pro-drug (a biologically inactive form) delivery through the bloodstream (pH 7.4), until nanosystems reach the target tissue (pH 4-5), where they release the active form of the drug.

MSN for drug targeting with avidin-biotin system

Mesoporous silicas micro- or nanosystems anchored, through an avidin group, to a biotin-linked specific molecule (such as a monoclonal antibody, directed against a tumor marker). The system, conjugated to a drug with pH sensitive release control, is able to promote a ligand-mediated internalization into cells, causing their death.

Fluorescent MSNs for imaging diagnostics

Mesoporous silicas micro- or nano-systems linked with a highly specific ligand and a fluorescent marker that allows the visualization of target cells.

MSNs linked to plasmidic DNA

Mesoporous silicas micro- or nanosystems coupled to a specific functional group and with pores able to include plasmidic DNA, coding for proteins that have to be expressed in cellular systems (e.g. in basic experimental research), or in a specific organism, in case of deficits associated to a particular disease (gene therapy).

Our team

Our team is made of highly specialized professionals with many years of experience and education in their respective fields, who authored many publications and collaborated with many prominent institutions. Check this section to know more about our team

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from our blogLATEST NEWS

why you should choose our productsFEATURES OF OUR PRODUCTS

  1. 1
    Innovative and patentable

    Our products are innovative and patentable. It’s possible to acquire the license for the next clinical trials.

  2. 2
    Biobetters

    By using our systems (“biobetters”) there is a lower risk of failure compared to the so-called new chemical entities.

  3. 3
    Versatility

    Compared to other technologies currently in use (polymeric materials, liposomes, nanosomes), MSNs present an outer and an inner (pores walls) surface with high reactivity which can be functionalized using different molecules

  4. 4
    Easy synthesis process

    Easy synthesis process, which is ideal for an immediate scale-up.

  5. 5
    No interference

    Particles do not interfere with the therapeutic agents bound to the active surface

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