Dendritic Nanotechnologies granted self-assembly patents, gets funding boost

Leading US nanotechnology innovator Dendritic Nanotechnologies (DNT) continues to shine for its associate and 49.9 per cent owner Melbourne drug-developer Starpharma (ASX: SPL), after being granted a US patent on a new self-assembly technique for its giant, branched molecules, called dendrimers.

DNT, founded by US nanotechnology pioneer Dr Donald Tomalia, has been issued US patent 6632880 B1, covering a technique called convergent self-branching polymerisation, for synthesising large but low-cost dendritic structures.

The technique gives chemists greater control over a random branching process used to assemble complex, multi-layered structures around the core molecules from which dendrimers are "grown".

Starpharma CEO John Raff says while DNT's new synthesis technique has no immediate application to Starpharma's development of dendrimer-based drugs, it does have potential medical applications.

Raff says it could be used to produce such things as biochemically active surface films and coatings on implanted medical devices such as stents, or to make biosensors or chemo-sensors for medical or environmental applications.

"The US military, for example, is looking at the possibility of putting coatings on soldiers' uniforms to detect toxins or biowarfare microbes," he said.

DNT has recently been issued another US patent on a technique for assembling multiple dendrimer sub-units of different structures, sizes and shapes into larger, more complex nanotech structures.

It allows for the creation of large, precisely manufactured nanostructures with new properties, with broad applications in the medical, electronic and chemical industries.

The technique allows different dendrimer molecules to be combined in controlled ways, like different Lego pieces, to create large molecules with cleft-like features resembling those of complex biomolecules like enzymes.

"One of the applications Don Tomalia is working on is the development of artificial enzymes for industrial applications," Raff said.

He says the nanotechnology research is expanding rapidly, with US$3 billion a year being invested in the field.

DNT has established itself as a significant player in the field in the US, and is winning substantial R&D grants from the US Army.

After receiving a US$3.5 million grant to build and equip a new Centre for Dendrimer Based Nanotechnology at Central Michigan University in 2002, DNT has received a further US$3 million, and the potential to continue receive annual grants of US$4.9 million until 2008.