Antibody-Based Delivery of Imaging Probe or Small Molecule Drug to Cardiac Conduction System

Heart rhythm disorders are difficult to treat with conventional drug therapy and intraoperative injury to the cardiac conduction system (CCS) complicates heart-related surgeries and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. A theranostic approach to visualize and target the CCS would help to mitigate damage during surgical or catheter procedures, as well as offer a general platform for drug delivery. Antibodies targeting CCS-specific surface proteins can be conjugated with near-infrared or contrast imaging probes as well as small molecule drugs for either imaging or treating afflicted CCS tissue. By detailed profiling of surface proteins expressed specifically in cardiac conduction cells such as the sinoatrial node (SAN), atrial-ventricular node (AVN), His bundle and Purkinje fibers, a suite of antibodies that bind to the surface proteins of these unique structures have been developed to enable molecular targeting of the CCS.