# Development of a novel tocolytic delivery system to treat preterm labor

> **NIH NIH F31** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $24,906

## Abstract

Project Summary
The following proposal was carefully crafted to foster achievement in both academic and professional
development to promote my future goals of becoming a faculty member at a tier-one research institute. The plan
is designed to enrich technical, conceptual, and professional realms of my training. I will gain technical training
in: (i) particle formulation and characterization, (ii) antibody conjugation chemistry in biomaterials, and (iii)
preclinical in vivo therapeutic testing in mice. While completing technical training, I will master conceptual training
in biomaterials, clinical concepts, and pregnancy-associated physiology. Concurrent with the technical and
conceptual benchmarks, my professional training will include: building a network within my field, strengthening
my leadership and mentoring abilities, learning how to communicate effectively through manuscripts and grants,
and developing my time management and project planning skills. The vast resources available at Vanderbilt
make it the ideal environment for my technical, conceptual, and professional training required to achieve my
long-term goal of becoming a leader in the field of obstetrics nanomedicine.
The studies proposed in this fellowship address the goal of developing a novel, uterine-specific, drug delivery
system to treat preterm labor - the leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. The true efficacy of current
tocolytics, used to inhibit premature uterine contractions, is unknown due to their adverse maternal and fetal
effects that occur if used greater than 48-72hr. I hypothesize that a uterine-targeted, slow-release drug delivery
system (DDS) would allow therapeutic concentrations of tocolytics for longer-term efficacy and reduced off-target
effects. Under the Sponsorship and Co-Sponsorship of Drs. Herington and Giorgio, I have generated
unpublished data that shows: (i) reproducible fabrication of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid carriers with minimal
polydispersity, (ii) ex vivo tocolytic efficacy of nifedipine-loaded DDS, similar to that of free-drug, and (iii) targeted
DDS increased in vivo delivery to the uterus by 10-fold. Building on this promising data, the proposed research
strategy will improve the drug encapsulation and antibody targeting efficiencies of our DDS. In Aim I, modification
of the physical-chemical parameters in the formulation (such a polymer concentration, solvent type, surfactant
concentration, and initial drug load) will maximize encapsulation efficiency of current tocolytics: nifedipine and
indomethacin. Moreover, the specific chemical conditions that maximize antibody conjugation while maintaining
antibody selectivity to the oxytocin receptor will be developed. In Aim II, I will determine the in vivo efficacy and
side-effect mitigation of uterine-targeted DDS to delay birth in mouse models of induced preterm labor. The well-
known lack of uterine-selectivity and side-effects of nifedipine and indomethacin make them ideal for use ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10900972
- **Project number:** 1F31HD115351-01
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christopher Joseph Hansen
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $24,906
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-04-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10900972

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10900972, Development of a novel tocolytic delivery system to treat preterm labor (1F31HD115351-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10900972. Licensed CC0.

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