ANTI-VEGF ANTIBODY/FRAGMENT CONJUGATED GOLD NANOPARTICLES, AND FABRICATION AND THERAPEUTIC METHODS

摘要

Preferred embodiments of the invention include gold nanoparticles, preferably less than about 20nm, that are conjugated with biologically active anti- VEGF antibody or a fragment derived therefrom. The particles can be formed by a "one-pot" synthesis method of the invention, in which the biologically active anti-VEGF antibody or a fragment derived therefrom acts to stabilize formed gold nanoparticles while simultaneously retaining biological activity. The method uses a reducing agent of nontoxic trimeric alanine compound that is benign toward the biological activity of the anti-VEGF antibody or a fragment derived therefrom. Therapeutic methods of the invention include injection of a solution of conjugated gold nanoparticles of the invention at vascularisation sites such as cancer sites and intraocular injection.