Cancer Drugs
A variety of approaches are used in administring anti-cancer drugs. Of special interest are the targeted methods in which drugs are delivered to one specified organ or site. (RDC 12/17/2010)
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“Many important drugs, particularly anticancer agents, are hydrophobic compounds which are sparingly soluble in water. In order to achieve desired therapeutic effects using such drugs, it is usually required that the drugs be solubilized for administration to patients. Thus, the solubilization of a sparingly water-soluble anticancer agent represents an important technique for making a formulation thereof for oral or parenteral use, particularly for producing a formulation for use in intravenous administration.”
“One method for solubilizing a sparingly water-soluble anticancer agent is addition of a surfactant. By way of example, a polyoxyethylene castor oil derivative (Cremophor) is used to solubilize paclitaxel. Other methods for solubilizing a sparingly water-soluble anticancer agent include use of a micelle-forming block copolymer as a carrier for the agent.”
(Shimizu et al, US Patent 7,820,759, 10/26/2010)
Applications
Cancer
Drug Delivery
Hyperthermia
Medicine
Protein Cancer Drugs
Quantum Dot Cancer Drugs
Recent Journal Articles
2/4/2011
Targeting the immune system to cancer
(99–102)Polymers for Advanced Technologies 22 #1 (2011)
Levitzki and Shir of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel have develop a strategy using a ligand-guided vector carrying a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) such as poly-inosine/cytosine, or polyIC. Upon ligand-induced receptor internalization, polyIC triggers the production of cytokines as well as chemokines, which in turn attract immune cells to the tumor. Human cancers represent heterogeneous populations of cells whose genomes constantly change , so targeted therapies must be aimed at continuously changing networks. (RDC 2/4/2011)
10/29/2010
Preparation of magnetite and tumor dual-targeting hollow polymer microspheres with pH-sensitivity for anticancer drug-carriers
(Pages 2533-2539) Polymer 51 #12 (2010)
Yang et al prepared hollow poly(N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) (P(MBAAm-co-MAA)) microspheres by the selective removal of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) core from the corresponding PMAA/P(MBAAm-co-MAA) core-shell microspheres, which were synthesized via a two-stage distillation precipitation polymerization. Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were added to the surface of hollow P(MBAAm-co-MAA) microspheres via partial oxidation of ferrous salt during the chemical deposition in the presence of potassium nitrate as oxidant with the aid of hexamethylene tetramine. The magnetic hollow microspheres were further functionalized with folic acid (FA) via the chemical linkage with amino groups of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APS)-modified P(MBAAm-co-MAA)@Fe3O4 microspheres to afford the magnetite and tumor dual-targeting hollow microspheres. (RDC 12/22/2010)
Water-soluble heparin–PTX conjugates for cancer targeting
(3387-3393) Polymer 51 #15 (2010)
Park et al of Chungnam National University, South Korea synthesized an anticancer drug conjugate composed of paclitaxel (PTX) and polysaccharide heparin through the reaction of aminated PTX with the carboxyl group of heparin. Unlike physically encapsulated drugs, heparin–PTX can self-assemble to form spherical nanoparticles in aqueous solution. Cellular uptake of the nanoparticles was significantly enhanced compared to heparin. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was found to depend on the amount of PTX conjugated to heparin as well as the conjugate concentration. (RDC 12/22/2010)
12/17/2010
Bypassing Multidrug Resistance in Cancer Cells with Biodegradable Polymer Capsules
(5398–5403)Advanced Materials 22 #47 (2010)
Yan et al prepared biodegradable polymer capsules with drug-loaded multilayers were by click chemistry via layer-by-layer assembly. The capsules can efficiently release incorporated drug by intracellular enzymatic degradation in both sensitive and resistant colorectal cancer cells in vitro. Endocytosis of drug-loaded capsules leads to bypass of Pgp-mediated multidrug resistance in cancer cells. (RDC 12/14/2010)