	US 11,835,522 B2
	Sensors for detecting and imaging of cancer metastasis
Sangeeta N. Bhatia, Lexington, MA (US); and Liangliang Hao, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/745,748.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/793,805, filed on Jan. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0232986 A1, Jul. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 33/573 (2006.01); G01N 33/534 (2006.01); G01N 33/574 (2006.01)

CPC G01N 33/573 (2013.01) [G01N 33/534 (2013.01); G01N 33/574 (2013.01)]

19 Claims

1. A protease imaging sensor comprising:

(a) a scaffold linked to an enzyme-specific substrate that is attached to a first detectable marker, wherein the first detectable marker is capable of being released from the sensor when exposed to a cancer-associated enzyme and detected at a remote bodily site, and

(b) a tumor imaging agent that localizes the protease imaging sensor to the tumor cell, said tumor imaging agent comprising a pH low insertion peptide that is attached to a second detectable marker, wherein the tumor imaging agent is linked to the scaffold and does not include a cell penetrating domain, and wherein the pH low insertion peptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 33-36.