Dual Controlled Delivery of Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Using Polymer-Modified Thermosensitive Liposomes for Pancreatic Cancer.

Although combinational anticancer chemotherapies have been proven to improve the life expectancy of patients in the clinic, their full potential is severely limited by the additive toxicities of the drug molecules. Targeted drug delivery systems could alleviate this major limitation by the design of nanocarriers that can cocarry multiple drug molecules in order to augment drug synergism at the site of interest while reducing the systemic side effects. In this study, we report on a thermoresponsive polymer-coated liposome nanocarrier that is capable to cocarry two potent anticancer drugs and release them via a thermally triggered mechanism.

Dual controlled delivery of squalenoyl-gemcitabine and paclitaxel using thermo-responsive polymeric micelles for pancreatic cancer.

In this study we report the synthesis of a themroresponsive block copolymer by reversible addition fragmentation transfer polymerization comprising poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate)-b-poly[di(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate-co-oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate] as hydrophobic and thermoresponsive blocks respectively. The polymer self-assembles into sub-50 micelles and can carry simultaneously two drug molecules, namely squalene-gemcitabine and paclitaxel. Both drugs can be released from the micellar compartment in a thermally controlled manner owing to the controllable disruption of the micellar corona above the lower critical solution temperature of the polymer.

The effects of heat on skin barrier function and in vivo dermal absorption.

Enhanced delivery of ingredients across the stratum corneum (SC) is of great interest for improving the efficacy of topically applied formulations. Various methods for improving dermal penetration have been reported including galvanic devices and micro-needles. From a safety perspective it is important that such approaches do not compromise SC barrier function.