Drug Delivery and Drug Efficacy from Amorphous Poly(thioether anhydrides)

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Amorphous poly(thioether anhydrides) are synthesized via radical-mediated thiol-ene polymerization.
• These polymers are investigated for their potential in controlled drug release applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate polymer erosion with the release of lidocaine and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP).
• To evaluate the cytotoxicity of poly(thioether anhydrides) against human dermal fibroblasts, melanoma A-375, and breast cancer MCF-7 cells.
• To assess the efficacy of released 6-MP from the polymer matrix against cancer cell lines.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of amorphous poly(thioether anhydrides) using radical-mediated thiol-ene polymerization.
• In vitro drug release studies monitoring lidocaine and 6-MP release kinetics.
• Cytotoxicity assays using human dermal fibroblasts, A-375, and MCF-7 cell lines.
• Assessment of 6-MP bioactivity and drug efficacy post-release from the polymer.

Main Results:

• Lidocaine release was primarily governed by polymer network erosion.
• 6-MP release involved a combination of erosion and diffusion mechanisms.
• Poly(thioether anhydrides) exhibited high cytocompatibility across all tested cell types, with dose-dependent toxicity comparable to other polyanhydrides.
• Encapsulated 6-MP retained its bioactivity and therapeutic efficacy against cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• Poly(thioether anhydrides) demonstrate promising characteristics for drug delivery, with tunable release mechanisms.
• The materials are cytocompatible and do not compromise the efficacy of the model drug 6-MP.
• These findings support the potential of poly(thioether anhydrides) as advanced biomaterials for pharmaceutical applications.