# Identification and application of targeting peptides for systemic nanoparticle delivery to osteoarthritic joints

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2024 · $208,627

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis (OA) remain a significant clinical challenge. Though numerous
promising drug candidates are discovered, they suffer from persistent delivery challenges. The timing and dosing
of multiple therapeutics targeting different disease mechanisms must be considered for effective management
of OA. Due to issues with joint bioavailability and systemic toxicity, most OA therapies are studied by direct
injections into affected joints. Intra-articular injections, however, require image-guidance and specialized
personnel, and carry a risk of mis-injection and tissue injury. As such, this approach is limited, especially for
repeat and/or timed treatments. Further, in patients with multi-joint disease, these intra-articular injections may
not be feasible or tolerable. In contrast, intravenous injections are relatively easier and cheaper to administer,
and are less painful and risky. However, to be successful, the drug must cross numerous physiological barriers
to localize to diseased OA joints and with minimal off-target or systemic effects. Towards this goal, this proposal
will identify peptides that preferentially localize to OA joints after intravenous injection, and leverage these
peptides in for the development of targeted OA drug carriers. Aim 1 will use an in vivo phage display to select
peptides that home to OA joints from the systemic circulation in an animal model of post-traumatic (PT) OA. In
Aim 2, we will attach the selected peptide(s) to nanoparticle drug carriers and evaluate their ability to target to
OA joints after intravenous injection. Nanoparticle tracking will be accomplished using conventional optical
imaging techniques, and an emerging imaging modality, Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) to enable robust and
quantitative assessment of nanoparticle biodistribution. Overall, this work will make important advances in
systemic delivery systems for OA, which are needed to expand clinical options for comprehensive, long-term
therapeutic strategies for OA.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10951676
- **Project number:** 1R21AR084680-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas J. Kean
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $208,627
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-11 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10951676

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10951676, Identification and application of targeting peptides for systemic nanoparticle delivery to osteoarthritic joints (1R21AR084680-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10951676. Licensed CC0.

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