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A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
Thermosensitive polymeric micelles for targeted drug delivery
Marina Talelli1, Wim E Hennink
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Nanomedicine (London, England)
|September 21, 2011
Summary
Thermosensitive polymers change solubility with temperature, enabling the creation of drug-carrying polymeric micelles. Recent advancements focus on crosslinking for improved stability and targeted delivery in medical applications.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Thermosensitive polymers exhibit temperature-dependent solubility, transitioning between dissolved and insoluble states.
- This property allows for the formation and destabilization of polymeric micelles for drug delivery.
- Key examples include poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm), Pluronics, and poly(hydroxypropyl methacrylamide-lactate) (p(HPMAm-Lac(n))).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent developments in thermosensitive polymers for drug delivery applications.
- To highlight advancements in the design and synthesis of these polymers.
- To discuss strategies for enhancing micelle stability and efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on thermosensitive polymers and their applications in drug delivery.
- Analysis of micelle formation, destabilization, and crosslinking techniques.
- Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo studies of drug-loaded thermosensitive polymer formulations.
Main Results:
- Thermosensitive polymers are effectively utilized to create tunable polymeric micelles.
- Crosslinking strategies (shell or core) enhance micelle stability for improved circulation and targeted accumulation.
- Various drug-loaded formulations have demonstrated promising in vitro and in vivo results.
Conclusions:
- Thermosensitive polymers offer a versatile platform for advanced drug delivery systems.
- Ongoing research focuses on optimizing polymer design and micelle architecture for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
- These materials hold significant potential for clinical translation in targeted therapies.
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