Polymers 2011, 3(2), 779-811; doi:10.3390/polym3020779
Review

Thermosensitive Self-Assembling Block Copolymers as Drug Delivery Systems

Giulia Bonacucinaemail, Marco Cespiemail, Giovanna Mencarelliemail, Gianfabio Giorgioniemail and Giovanni Filippo Palmieri* email
School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 28 February 2011; in revised form: 23 March 2011 / Accepted: 11 April 2011 / Published: 19 April 2011
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Abstract: Self-assembling block copolymers (poloxamers, PEG/PLA and PEG/PLGA diblock and triblock copolymers, PEG/polycaprolactone, polyether modified poly(Acrylic Acid)) with large solubility difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties have the property of forming temperature dependent micellar aggregates and, after a further temperature increase, of gellifying due to micelle aggregation or packing. This property enables drugs to be mixed in the sol state at room temperature then the solution can be injected into a target tissue, forming a gel depot in-situ at body temperature with the goal of providing drug release control. The presence of micellar structures that give rise to thermoreversible gels, characterized by low toxicity and mucomimetic properties, makes this delivery system capable of solubilizing water-insoluble or poorly soluble drugs and of protecting labile molecules such as proteins and peptide drugs.
Keywords: self-assembling; block copolymers; sol-gel; thermogel; drug delivery

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Bonacucina, G.; Cespi, M.; Mencarelli, G.; Giorgioni, G.; Palmieri, G.F. Thermosensitive Self-Assembling Block Copolymers as Drug Delivery Systems. Polymers 2011, 3, 779-811.

AMA Style

Bonacucina G, Cespi M, Mencarelli G, Giorgioni G, Palmieri GF. Thermosensitive Self-Assembling Block Copolymers as Drug Delivery Systems. Polymers. 2011; 3(2):779-811.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bonacucina, Giulia; Cespi, Marco; Mencarelli, Giovanna; Giorgioni, Gianfabio; Palmieri, Giovanni Filippo. 2011. "Thermosensitive Self-Assembling Block Copolymers as Drug Delivery Systems." Polymers 3, no. 2: 779-811.

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