Drug Delivery-The Last One Mile in Drug Development

Due to the large surface area and excellent mechanical flexibility, Photoluminescent (PL) graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with fascinating optical and electronic properties have promising applications in biomedical engineering. In order to enhance the therapeutic efficiency, the research team proposed a multifunctional nanocomposite of poly(l-lactide) (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted GQDs (f-GQDs) used for the analysis of intracellular […]

The design of nanoscale drug delivery systems used for the targeted co-delivery of multiple therapeutic drugs still remains a challenge. However, researchers prepared mitomycin C (MMC) and methotrexate (MTX) loaded DSPE-PEG micelles (MTX-M-MMC) by self-assembly using the dialysis technique, and the MMC-soybean phosphatidylcholine complex was encapsulated in the MTX-functionalized DSPE-PEG micelles. The experiment suggested that MTX-M-MMC coordinate the early […]

Phosphatidic Acid (PA) has aroused people’s interests due to its role in diverse key biological functions, including its being an intermediate in the synthesis of all membrane glycerophospholipids, a participant of membrane biogenesis, a necessary signaling molecule in cell proliferation and cytoskeletal rearrangement, as well as a participant in endocrine, neuroendocrine exocytosis and synaptic neurotransmission. Mammals can have more than […]

By combining the hierarchy of biological species with synthetic concepts, peptide-polymer hybrids can control the molecular design and material properties. By further incorporating covalent cross links, the molecular complexity is enhanced so that both a physical and covalent network is allowed. Through the process, both the structure and function of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-network hybrids are regulated by […]

The polymer-drug conjugate with controlled drug release, such as arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-decorated polyethylene glycol (PEG)-paclitaxel (PTX) conjugates containing disulfide linkage, can be used for gastric cancer therapy. The amphiphilic PEG-PTX conjugates can assemble into micelles, RGD@Micelles, and then decompose under the reduction of glutathione (GSH) and finally release PTX in weakly acidic conditions in intracellular environment. The […]

Nanomedicine is one of the most popular topics in disease diagnostics, prevention and treatment. Lipids, such as liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs), are widely used in nanosystems, and these nanosystems are used for a variety of therapeutic fields, such as anticancer therapies, antimicrobials, treatment of central nervous system diseases and other conditions. By loading […]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is able to kill cancer cells using reactive oxygen species, and it has a wide application in cancer treatment. However, its efficiency can be severely restricted by the hypoxic nature of most solid tumors and also can be reduced by the hydrophobicity and limited tumor selectivity of some photosensitizers. To overcome the limitations, the […]