Cedars-Sinai HerDox2.0 Nanoparticle Selected for NCL Evaluation Program

15 October 2026. An experimental nanoparticle developed by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University investigators has been selected for evaluation by the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL). The program is funded by the National Cancer Institute and is designed to help promising nanotechnologies advance toward clinical trials.

The therapeutic nanoparticle, called HerDox2.0, was developed by Lali Medina-Kauwe, PhD, professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai and associate director of Basic Research at Cedars-Sinai Cancer. The particle connects with a protein called HER3, which helps it cross the blood-brain barrier and target and penetrate tumor cells.

"Acceptance into the elite Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory program will provide thorough testing of HerDox2.0 by top experts in the field, moving us toward our goal of submitting it to the Food and Drug Administration as an Investigational New Drug," Medina-Kauwe said.

The NCL analysis will determine the physical and chemical properties of the formulation, evaluate the particle's compatibility with and stability in human blood, assess potential immune responses, and evaluate general toxicity. Testing will also evaluate whether the particle can be manufactured consistently and in larger-scale batches for clinical use.

The Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, operated at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, was founded in 2004 in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. To date, the laboratory has tested more than 1,000 nanomaterials and worked with more than 250 academic researchers and companies.

Source: Cedars-Sinai news