Thermoresponsive polymer micelles are promising drug and radionuclide carriers with a strong passive targeting effect into solid tumors. We have synthesized ABA triblock copolymers poly[2-methyl-2-oxazoline-block-(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline-co-2-butyl-2-oxazoline)-block-2-methyl-2-oxazoline]. These polymers are molecularly dissolved in aqueous millieu below the cloud point temperature (CPT) of the thermoresponsive central block and above CPT form polymer micelles at CMC 5-10 × 10(-5) g · mL(-1) with diameter ≈200 nm. The phenolic moiety introduced into the copolymer allowed radionuclide labeling with iodine-125 ongoing in good yield with sufficient in vitro stability under model conditions.

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The main limitation of contemporary anticancer chemotherapy remains to be the insufficient specificity of the drugs for tumor tissue, which decreases the maximum tolerated dose due to severe side effects. Micellar drug delivery systems based on amphiphilic block copolymers with a very narrow size distribution (10 to 100 nm in diameter) is a novel innovative approach. Here, we report biological and pharmacological properties of polymeric micellar conjugate containing doxorubicin (DOX) covalently bound via hydrolytically cleavable hydrazone bonds to the micelle core. The system had a very low systemic toxicity (almost 20 times lower than free DOX) and long circulation in the bloodstream (with half of the dose after 24 h). Significant accumulation of tested micelles within the tumor was confirmed by fluorescent whole body imaging. Our new micellar system showed promising therapeutic activity against established murine EL-4 T-cell lymphoma; it was found that it is able to completely cure about 75% of tumor-bearing mice (with doses of either 1 x 150 mg DOX kg(-1) or 2 x 75 mg DOX kg(-1), administered i.v.). Moreover, treatment with micelles in cured mice induced tumor-specific resistance. Up to 80% of these mice survived rechallenge with original but not with distinct tumor cells.

The focus of this review is to describe the state-ofart in the development of innovative drug delivery systems for phthalocyanines as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is a medical treatment combining photosensitizers (PSs) activated by visible light of a specific wavelength to selectively destroy targeted cells, tumor tissues and its surrounding vasculature. In the last decades, PDT has been under intense investigation, first as a promising alternative approach for improved cancer treatment, later against microbial infection and nowadays, mainly in aesthetic medicine, against age-related degeneration. The success of PDT is restricted because of difficulties with administration and skin permeation of PSs. As PDT importance raises, there is high interest for advanced formulations and delivery systems (DDS) for PS, especially formulations based on nanotechnology. Accordingly, this review deals with the innovations pertaining to DDS for PDT as disclosed in recent patents and literature.