No abstract

POxylated polyurea dendrimer (PUREG4OOx48)‐based nanoparticles were loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) and doxorubicin (DOX) and micronized with chitosan (CHT) by using supercritical CO2‐assisted spray drying (SASD). Respirable, biocompatible, and biodegradable dry powder formulations (DPFs) were produced to effectively transport and deliver the chemotherapeutics with a controlled rate to the deep lung. In vitro studies performed with the use of the lung adenocarcinoma cell line showed that DOX@PUREG4OOx48 nanoparticles were much more cytotoxic than the free drug. Additionally, the DPFs did not show higher cytotoxicity than the respective nanoparticles, and DOX‐DPFs showed a higher chemotherapeutic effect than PTX formulations in adenocarcinoma cells.

The Cover Feature shows engineered nano‐in‐microparticles specially designed for inhalation chemotherapy. The dry powder formulations, produced by supercritical CO2‐assisted co‐atomization of chitosan and polyurea dendrimers, deliver anticancer drugs to the deep lung. More information can be found in the Full Paper by R. B. Restani et al. on page 772 in Issue 10, 2018 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/open.201800093).