ANASTASIA: hybrid vesicular nANvectors AgainST pleural mesothelioma

Hybrid Nanocarriers Based on Extracellular Vesicles and Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles: A Novel Drug Delivery System for the Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma

The project aims to develop and characterize an innovative drug delivery system — named ANASTASIA — based on extracellular vesicles and silk fibroin nanoparticles for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma.

The concept combines a traditional technological approach, employing protein-based nanoparticles, with extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells as a physiological drug delivery vehicle. ANASTASIA will function as a carrier-in-carrier system, featuring a protein core capable of encapsulating high drug loads and releasing them in a controlled manner, enclosed within a vesicular coating that ensures effective cellular targeting and uptake toward diseased cells.

This strategy will result in an innovative and smart drug delivery platform, capable of efficiently delivering cytotoxic agents for the treatment of various tumor types. The project will primarily focus on pleural mesothelioma, identified as a critical and unmet clinical need, particularly relevant in the province of Pavia.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Sara Perteghella