Nanoscale platform for delivery of active IRINOX to combat pancreatic cancer

Due to its late diagnosis and dismal prognosis, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most devastating solid malignancies, with only 9% of patients surviving after being diagnosed. A multidrug chemotherapeutic regimen FOL-F-IRIN-OX (combination of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) offers survival benefits superior to that of gemcitabine single agent, but the treatment-related side effects are also severe. To overcome this therapeutic barrier, we developed polymeric micelles bearing active formats of irinotecan and oxaliplatin, SN38 and 1,2-diaminocyclohexane‑platinum (II), DACHPt. Crosslinked micelles were prepared using amphiphilic PEG-b-poly(L-glutamic acid)/SN38 conjugates and subsequently loaded with DACHPt. The dual drug-loaded micelles exhibited improved colloidal stability, prolonged drug release and remarkable cytotoxicity in human pancreatic cancer cell lines and Kras^G12D; Trp52^R172H/+; Pdx-1 Cre murine tumor organoids models. In vivo, (SN38 + DACHPt)-loaded micelles displayed superior antitumor and antimetastatic activities without impairing safety. Our results suggest that nanomedicine mimicking irinotecan and oxaliplatin as parts of FOLFIRINOX regimen may further improve the feasibility of this multidrug treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.