Novel composed galactosylated nanodevices containing a ribavirin prodrug as hepatic cell-targeted carriers for HCV treatment.

In this paper, we describe the preparation of liver-targeted nanoparticles potentially able to carry to hepatocytes a ribavirin (RBV) prodrug, exploiting the presence of carbohydrate receptors in the liver (i.e., ASGPR in hepatocytes).

Phospholipid-polyaspartamide micelles for pulmonary delivery of corticosteroids.

A novel drug delivery system for beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) has been constructed through self-assembly of a pegylated phospholipid-polyaminoacid conjugate. This copolymer was obtained by chemical reaction of α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide (PHEA) with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethyleneglycol)2000] (DSPE-PEG(2000)-NH(2)). Benefiting from the amphiphilic structure with the hydrophilic shell based on both PHEA and PEG and many hydrophobic stearoyl tails, PHEA-PEG(2000)-DSPE copolymer was able to self assemble into micelles in aqueous media above a concentration of 1.

Amphiphilic poly(hydroxyethylaspartamide) derivative-based micelles as drug delivery systems for ferulic acid.

Self-assembling micelles, potentially useful as drug delivery systems for ferulic acid (FA), were obtained in aqueous media from amphiphilic alpha,beta-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-dl-aspartamide (PHEA) copolymers bearing at the polyamino acidic backbone both poly(ethyleneglycol) (2000 or 5000 Da) and hexadecylamine (C(16)) moieties, at a concentration of 7 x 10(- 3) and 4 x 10(- 3) g/l, respectively, with nanometre size and negative zeta potential. These micelles were able to entrap FA and to release it in a prolonged way in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4 and human plasma.