The University of Texas System

Other

Texas Heart Institute

William Marsh Rice University

S Ward Casscells

James T Willerson

Morteza Naghavi

Bujin Guo

Gregory H Bearman

Timothy N Krabach

Michael L Eastwood

James Mitchell Tour

Birendra K Lal

Dmitry Kosynkin

Jared L Hudson

Ashley Leonard

Jeffrey N Myers

Luka Milas

Brandi Katherine Price

Valerie C Moore

Kathy A Mason

Jodie L Conyers, Jr

Zvonimir L Milas

Rebecca Lucente-Schultz

Compositions comprising a plurality of functionalized carbon nanotubes and at least one type of payload molecule are provided herein. The compositions are soluble in water and PBS in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the payload molecules are insoluble in water. Methods are described for making the compositions and administering the compositions. An extended release formulation for paclitaxel utilizing functionalized carbon nanotubes is also described.

Water-soluble carbon nanotube compositions for drug delivery and medicinal applications

Methods for the detection of inflammation associated with vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque to prevent heart attack and stroke are disclosed. The methods are also applicable to detection of infection, cancer, wounds or auto-immune disease in the body. Certain embodiments of the new methods provide a way of predicting the level of vulnerability of an atherosclerotic plaque to rupture or thrombus formation by assessing via fiber optic NIR spectrophotometry the status of two or more parameters associated with inflamed atherosclerotic plaque in a vessel of a living patient. From these measurements such conditions as low pH, hypoxia, low glucose, oxidative stress or compounds abundant in vulnerable plaque such as oxidized LDL cholesterol and oxidized metabolites of NO, significant active macrophage population, thin plaque cap, as well as senescence and/or apoptosis of smooth muscle or endothelial cells are determined with the assistance of a suitably programmed microprocessor. By considering together the status of some or all of these conditions with respect to successive sites along a vessel wall, particular plaques which are at significant risk of rupturing or thrombosing can be distinguished from 'normal' vessel wall and from 'intermediate' and relatively stable or &#x201c;lower risk&#x201d; plaques. Sites having more of the indicator conditions would be considered most in need of prompt intervention, and certain combinations of parameter levels would be suggestive of relatively stable plaque. Also disclosed is a multi-parameter catheter and analytical processing assembly for use in the methods.

Method and apparatus for detection of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

A system for detecting vulnerable arterial plaque formed on the vessel wall in vivo is disclosed. The system comprises a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, one or more thermal sensors at said distal end of said catheter, and a detector coupled to the proximal end of the catheter and in communication with one or more of the thermal sensors. The detector is capable of receiving thermal information from one or more thermal sensors and differentiating the different types of plaque based upon the thermal information received.

Detecting thermal discrepancies in vessel walls

Methods and devices are disclosed for detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, or plaque at risk of reducing blood flow in a vessel, by identifying a region of elevated temperature along a living vessel wall. The disclosure that human atherosclerotic plaque with measurable temperature heterogeneity has the morphological characteristics of plaque that is likely to ulcerate provides a new and sensitive technique for detecting and treating these dangerous plaques before myocardial infarction and its consequences occur. The disclosed methods are advantageous over conventional plaque detection techniques because they are capable of differentiating between those plaques that are at great risk of rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery, and those that are not presently at risk. Infrared heat-sensing catheters useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries are also described. In some embodiments a coherent infrared fiber optic bundle is employed to radially and longitudinally explore a luminal wall to identify inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque. Certain other methods and devices are disclosed which are particularly suited for non-invasively identifying and then monitoring the progression or amelioration of an inflamed plaque in a patient, and for monitoring for onset of inflammation in an implanted arteriovenous graft. Also disclosed are thermocouple basket catheters and thermistor basket catheters which are also capable of detecting temperature heterogeneity along a vessel wall.

Method and apparatus for detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

The present invention relates to methods for treating inflammation in body tissues. More specifically, certain disclosed methods relate to selectively inducing apoptosis in inflammatory immune cells. The methods are particularly suitable for treating inflamed atherosclerotic plaques. The techniques generally involve heating the cells with a catheter that is equipped to produce infrared radiation. The cells are heated for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature to induce programmed cell death.

Heat treatment of inflamed tissue

A method of detecting vulnerable arterial plaque formed on the vessel wall in vivo is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining an image of the arterial plaque, measuring the temperature of the arterial plaque, and determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature compared to the temperature of at least one adjacent vessel wall site. The method may include determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of between 0.4 to 4&#xb0; C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

Method of detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

Methods and devices are disclosed for detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, or plaque at risk of reducing blood flow in a vessel, by a identifying a region of elevated temperature along a living vessel wall. The disclosure that human atherosclerotic plaque with measurable temperature heterogeneity has the morphological characteristics of plaque that is likely to ulcerate provides a new and sensitive technique for detecting and treating these dangerous plaques before myocardial infarction and its consequences occur. The disclosed methods are advantageous over conventional plaque detection techniques because they are capable of differentiating between those plaques that are at great risk of rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery and those that are not presently at risk. Infrared heat-sensing catheters useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries are also described. In some embodiments a coherent infrared fiber optic bundle is employed to radially and longitudinally explore a luminal wall to identify inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque. Certain other methods and devices are disclosed which are particularly suited for non-invasively identifying and then monitoring the progression or amelioration of an inflamed plaque in a patient, and for monitoring for onset of inflammation in an implanted arteriovenous graft. Also disclosed are thermocouple basket catheters and thermistor basket catheters which are also capable of detecting temperature heterogeneity along a vessel wall.

An infrared, heat-sensing catheter particularly useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries and its use are detailed. In one embodiment, an infrared fiberoptic system (with or without ultrasound) is employed at the tip of the catheter to locate inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque, which is at greater risk for rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery. In another embodiment, a catheter with an infrared detector (with or without ultrasound) employed at its tip will likewise locate inflamed heat-producing atherosclerotic plaque. The devices and methods of the invention may be used to detect abscesses, infection, and cancerous regions by the heat such regions differentially display over the ambient temperature of immediately adjacent tissues. The methods and devices of the invention may also be used to detect regions of cooler than ambient tissue in a vessel or organ which indicate cell death, thrombosis, cell death, hemorrhage, calcium or cholesterol accumulations, or foreign materials.

The present invention relates to methods for treating inflammation in body tissues. More specifically, certain disclosed methods relate to selectively inducing apoptosis in inflammatory immune cells by heating cells for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature to induce programmed cell death. The disclosed stents can be placed in contact with the inflammatory cells and heated under controlled conditions. The disclosed apparatus and methods are particularly suitable for treating athersclerotic plaques.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

S Ward Casscells