Dendron-polymer-dendron based micelles as drug delivery systems

Abstract

Polymeric micelles are known to be good candidates for drug release systems due to their high loading capacities of inner hydrophobic core as well as unique compatibility in the body. Micelles from amphiphilic copolymers can be formed in water via self-assembly according to the solubility difference of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks. This kind of polymeric micelles have a narrow size distribution and unique architectured core, where hydrophobic segment forms the inner core and hydrophilic segment of the block copolymer surrounds the core and form the sphere of micelle. In our study, dendron-polymer-dendron conjugates are prepared via Huisgen type "click" reaction using polyester dendrons and PEG, followed by functionalization of the dendron surface with hydrophobic moiety. This system provides the hydrophobichydrophilic- hydrophobic balance neccessary to form the polymeric micelles in aqueous media. Dendron surface was further ornamented with drug molecules to yield the micellar drug delivery system.