Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to protocells or nanoparticles, which are optionally coated with a lipid bilayer, which can be used for targeting bone tissue for the delivery of bioactive agents useful in the treatment and/or diagnosis of bone cancer, often metastatic bone cancer which often occurs secondary to a primary cancer such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer, among numerous others. These protocells or nanoparticles target bone cancer especially metastatic bone cancer with bioactive agents including anticancer agents and/or diagnostic agents for purposes of treating, diagnosing and/or monitoring the therapy of the bone cancer. Osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles, pharmaceutical compositions comprising a population of osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles and methods of diagnosing, treating and/or monitoring therapy of bone cancer are representative aspects.

Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure provides mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs), monodisperse populations of MSNPs and related protocells which exhibit cell binding specificity. For example, MSNPs and protocells of the disclosure may be used to target specific delivery of therapeutic agents to CD19 or EGFR expressing cancer cells, or target specific delivery of therapeutic agents to other cell types. Related protocells, pharmaceutical compositions and therapeutic and diagnostic methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods of producing monosized protocells from monosized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (mMSNPs) and their use for targeted drug delivery formulations and systems and for biomedical applications. The present disclosure is also directed in part to a multilamellar or unilamellar protocell vaccine to deliver full length viral protein and/or plasmid encoded viral protein to antigen presenting cells (APCs) in order to induce an immunogenic response to a virus.

Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure provides mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs), monodisperse populations of MSNPs and related protocells which exhibit cell binding specificity. For example, MSNPs and protocells of the disclosure may be used to target specific delivery of therapeutic agents to CD19 or EGFR expressing cancer cells, or target specific delivery of therapeutic agents to other cell types. Related protocells, pharmaceutical compositions and therapeutic and diagnostic methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to protocells or nanoparticles, which are optionally coated with a lipid bilayer, which can be used for targeting bone tissue for the delivery of bioactive agents useful in the treatment and/or diagnosis of bone cancer, often metastatic bone cancer which often occurs secondary to a primary cancer such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer, among numerous others. These protocells or nanoparticles target bone cancer especially metastatic bone cancer with bioactive agents including anticancer agents and/or diagnostic agents for purposes of treating, diagnosing and/or monitoring the therapy of the bone cancer. Osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles, pharmaceutical compositions comprising a population of osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles and methods of diagnosing, treating and/or monitoring therapy of bone cancer are representative aspects.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods of producing monosized protocells from monosized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (mMSNPs) and their use for targeted drug delivery formulations and systems and for biomedical applications. The present disclosure is also directed in part to a multilamellar or unilamellar protocell vaccine to deliver full length viral protein and/or plasmid encoded viral protein to antigen presenting cells (APCs) in order to induce an immunogenic response to a virus.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs), monodisperse populations of MSNPs and related protocells which exhibit single cell binding specificity to the substantial exclusion of non-targeted cells. For example, MSNPs and protocells of the invention may be used to target specific delivery of therapeutic agents to cancer cells or to specific blood vessel types (e.g. in the arterial, venous and/or capillary vessels or any combination of vessels). Related protocells, pharmaceutical compositions and therapeutic and diagnostic methods are also provided.