HYDERABAD: In a major breakthrough, a team of researchers from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) claimed to have developed a novel nano capsule that could help in effective treatment of cancer and other infectious diseases.The research was led by Dr Pradip Paik, an associate professor at the School of Engineering Sciences and Technology , University of Hyderabad. His research group has designed and developed novel and biocompatible polymer-based nano drug carriers with high potential impact of immune therapy and cancer treatment These nano carriers or capsules exhibited attractive properties of drug encapsulation and controlled release of the same for sustained and prolonged release of NO (Nitric Oxide) in macrophages.This work has been collaborated with Dr Hridayesh Prakash, a Ramanujan Fellow, School of Life Sciences. Anil Kumar, research scholar, Dr Vinodh Nadella, post-doctoral fellow, are also the co-contributors for this invention.According to the researchers, this invention presents for the first time the design of hollow NAPA-HPN (poly-N-acryloyl L-phenyl alanine methyl ester) biodegradable nano capsules of average size ranging from 100-150 nanometre. These capsules are mono-dispersed with high stability and much promising for sustained delivery of immunomodulory drugs for their prolonged action.The researchers said NAPA-HPN capsules are biocompatible and capable of encapsulating very high extent of drug.The NAPA-HPN’s -drug nano formulation, while maintaining cellular homeostasis of macrophages also facilitated prolonged release of low level of NO (nitric oxide) in body fluid and enhanced metabolic activities of Th1 primed macrophages which is one of the important component of host immune response.These results potentially suggest that NAPA-HPN is able to exert adjuvant action on naïve macrophages and skew M1 differentiation without affecting their viability.Thus, NAPA-HPN nano capsules could be used for the effective management of various infectious or tumor diseases where immune stimulation is paramount.In line with sustained release of NO, similar effect of NAPA-HPN’s was seen in controlled release of iNOS inhibitor, LNMA in time dependent manner in M1 macrophages.Thus the results potentially suggested that NAPA-HPN’s can serve both as a carrier of the drugs as well as an adjuvant for the immune system. Further, these nano capsules could be used for the effective management of various infectious or tumor diseases where immune-stimulation is paramount for treatment, they said.