polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid-lipid nanoparticle

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid-lipid nanoparticle (polyIC-LNP) is an investigational immunotherapy consisting of the synthetic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) analog polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyIC) encapsulated within a liver-targeting lipid nanoparticle delivery system. PolyIC acts as a potent agonist of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and cytosolic RNA sensors such as RIG-I and MDA5, mimicking viral infection to stimulate the innate immune system and induce the production of Type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. By utilizing a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation, the therapy is specifically directed to the liver to modulate the tumor microenvironment, increase PD-L1 expression, and enhance the infiltration of immune cells. It is being developed primarily for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastases, where it has demonstrated the ability to sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors like anti-PD-L1 antibodies.

Other names

poly(I:C)-LNPpolyinosinic:polycytidylic acid-lipid nanoparticleliver-targeting polyIC-LNP