Dodecaperfluoropentane emulsion for oxygen delivery

Dodecaperfluoropentane emulsion (DDFPe) was prepared from DDFP and surfactant PEG-Telomer-B and studied for particle sizing, storage stability, acoustically in vitro at 37 °C, and for oxygen transport in porcine model of hemorrhagic shock and as radiation sensitizer in murine model of tumor hypoxia. DDFPe had mean particle size of about 200 nm stable on storage at room temperature for over 2 years. Compared to microbubbles of perfluorobutane (PFB), more than 100-fold higher DDFPe was needed for comparable acoustic backscatter compared to PFB. Acoustic reflectivity increased with higher MI ultrasound but was still much less for DDFPe than for PFB. DDFPe was highly effective oxygen therapeutic in models of hemorrhagic shock and tumor hypoxia. A dose of as little as 0.6 cc/kg of DDFPe was sufficient to prevent death from hemorrhagic shock. In hypoxic tumors a similar dose reversed tumor hypoxia and restored sensitivity to radiation therapy. No ultrasound was used in these experiments for in vivo oxygen delivery. Compared to liquid perfluorocarbons which have been studied as oxygen therapeutics, DDFPe uses a much lower dose, about 1%. DDFPe is a promising oxygen transport therapeutic. Additional work is underway to try to develop DDFPe for this application.