ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NaturalNano, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NNAN) (Frankfurt:N3N) announced today that Dr. Michael King, a researcher at Cornell University, has published a new study demonstrating how NaturalNano nanotubes can improve targeting of circulating tumor cells (CTC's). These nanotubes, when added to the surface where cancer cells are attracted, enhance the natural rolling mechanism that Dr. King believes will allow them to be exposed to specific drugs or other therapeutic agents, or isolated for diagnostic and research purposes. Developed by Dr. King, this has significant potential for novel treatments in personalized medicine being developed at Cornell and elsewhere.
The study explores a method to more efficiently capture leukemic and epithelial cancer cells from the bloodstream by altering the nanoscale topography of the surface of P-selectin-coated capillary tubes. This is achieved by attaching naturally occurring halloysite nanotubes to the tube surface via a monolayer of poly-L-lysine. It has been found that halloysite nanotube coatings promote increased capture of leukemic cells. The article may be found online at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la101179y">http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la101179y
Michael King, Associate Professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell University, states, "The ability to create stable coatings of halloysite using an extremely thin layer of poly-L-lysine gives us a way to create nanostructured surfaces that living cells respond to. This breakthrough could impact a number of projects we have been working on for basic research and diagnostic detection of circulating tumor cells in blood."
James Wemett, NaturalNano CEO, said, "King's lab is successfully innovating new biomedical applications of the halloysite material. An interesting result from their paper is that the halloysite had no harmful effect on the cells enabling the delivery of live cells ready for treatment or analysis."
About NaturalNano, Inc.
NaturalNano, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NNAN) (Frankfurt:N3N) is a materials science company focused on developing and commercializing advanced nanocomposites. Based in Rochester, NY, the Company is focused on additive technologies and processes, including its proprietary Pleximer polymer additive, that add value to industrial polymers, plastics and composites, as well as consumer and industrial products. NaturalNano is developing technologies where the unique structure and environmentally friendly nature of NaturalNano's functionalized nanotubes can be applied to biomedicine and materials science applications with substantial commercial potential. NaturalNano holds and licenses over 15 patents and applications, as well as proprietary know-how for extraction and separation processes, compositions, and derivatives of Halloysite and other nanotubes. Visit http://www.naturalnano.com/">www.naturalnano.com
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