Feasibility of Coacervate-Like Nanostructure for Instant Drug Nanoformulation

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2023 Apr 12;15(14):17485-17494. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c21586. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Abstract

Despite the enormous advancements in nanomedicine research, a limited number of nanoformulations are available on the market, and few have been translated to clinics. An easily scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective manufacturing strategy and long-term stability for storage are crucial for successful translation. Here, we report a system and method to instantly formulate NF achieved with a nanoscale polyelectrolyte coacervate-like system, consisting of anionic pseudopeptide poly(l-lysine isophthalamide) derivatives, polyethylenimine, and doxorubicin (Dox) via simple "mix-and-go" addition of precursor solutions in seconds. The coacervate-like nanosystem shows enhanced intracellular delivery of Dox to patient-derived multidrug-resistant (MDR) cells in 3D tumor spheroids. The results demonstrate the feasibility of an instant drug formulation using a coacervate-like nanosystem. We envisage that this technique can be widely utilized in the nanomedicine field to bypass the special requirement of large-scale production and elongated shelf life of nanomaterials.

Keywords: 3D tumor spheroids; coacervate-like nanostructure; instant nanoformulations; nanomedicine; self-assembly.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Nanostructures*
  • Neoplasms* / pathology

Substances

  • Doxorubicin
  • Drug Carriers