Our Technology: The Next Evolution of AIM – Direct Injection
The injectable modality (AIM INJ) is an injectable pharmaceutical product of AIM nanoparticles decorated with antigen-specific peptides and co-stimulatory molecules appropriate for the disease being targeted. Based on specific size and bio-distribution characteristics, the AIM™ nanoparticles have the ability to engage antigen-specific T cell populations at multiple sites in the body (lymph node, lymphatic system, peripheral blood, spleen, tumor).
Similar to the AIM ACT nanoparticle, the AIM INJ nanoparticles are designed to mimic the core functions of natural antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, by delivering the same two key immune-specific signals: (i) an antigen-specific recognition signal delivered by an HLA molecule loaded with an antigenic peptide (Signal 1), and (ii) a co-stimulatory signal (Signal 2) to induce proliferation and expansion of the activated T cells or tolerization or apoptosis. The only significant difference between AIM ACT and AIM INJ nanoparticles is the core composition, which, in the case of AIM INJ, is a biodegradable PLGA-PEG nanoparticle. Both the AIM ACT and AIM INJ nanoparticles have similar design specifications and use the same chemistry to couple the same humanized signaling proteins, which then use the same antigen peptide loading process to complete the construct of the AIM INJ nanoparticle.