Last Updated: 12/16/2008

Research Interests
CYTOSOLIC DELIVERY OF NUCELIC ACIDS
This research focuses on possible means of endosome-to-cytosol transfer of antisense oligonucleotides and siRNA. The working hypothesis behind the approach is based on the acidity and reductive environment of endosomes.

SYSEMIC DELIVERY OF CpG OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
Cancer immunotherapy with CpG oligos requires a conventional systemic route of administration. Our approach exploits use of endogenous anti-Gal antibodies as galactosylated CpG oligos or pre-made monovalent immune complexes for IV or SC route of administration.

A THIRD GENERATION PACLITAXEL FORMULATION
Our target drug concentration is 10 to 25 mg/ml. Upon IV administration, the drug should demonstrate a prolonged circulatory half-life, days in mice. In tumor bearing mice, our target delivery is 15-25 % injected dose per 100-200 mm3 tumor. The approach is based on exploiting a naturally occurring endogenous carrier.

Publications
Roberts, J., Palma, E., Sazani, P., Ørum, H., Cho, M.J., and Kole, R.: Efficient and Persistent Splice Switching by Systemically Delivered LNA Oligonucleotides in Mice. Molecular Therapy, 14: 471-475, 2006.

Yang, Y., Lee, J., Cho, M.J., and Sheares, V.V.: Synthesis of Amine-Functionalized Diene-Based Polymers as Novel Gene Delivery Vectors. Macromolecules 39:8625-8631, 2006.

Palma, E. and Cho, M.J.: Improved Systemic Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution, and Antitumor Activity of CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides Complexed to Endogenous Antibodies in Vivo. J. Controlled Release, in print, 2007.

Palma, E. and Cho, M.J.: Systemic Drug Delivery with Endogenous IgG Antibodies. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, in print, 2007.

Gratton, S., Pohlhaus, P.D., Lee, J., Cho, M.J., and DeSimone, J.M.: Nanofabricated Particles for Engineered Drug Therapies: A Preliminary Biodistribution Study of PRINT Nanoparticles, J. Controlled Release, in print, 2007.

Asokan, A., Cheung, R., and Cho, M.J.: Strategies for the Cytosolic Delivery of Macromolecules: An Overview. Pharmaceutical Biotech Handbook, in print, 2007.

E-mail: m_j_cho@unc.edu
Telephone: (919) 966-1345
FAX: (919) 966-7778
Address: 1308 Kerr Hall Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7360
URL: www.pharmacy.unc.edu/pharmacy/cho.html

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