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Polymers for Forming Drug-Loaded Microspheres: Natural Versus Synthetic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Curt Thies*
Affiliation:
Biological Transport Laboratory, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
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Extract

Numerous research groups currently are working to develop microcapsules, microspheres, and nanoparticles able to function as effective drug carriers. Much effort is focused on forming biodegradable particles from iactide-glycolide copolymers (PLGA)1−3. Although microparticles prepared from PLGA copolymers have had many successes, PLGA copolymers are not ideal drug carriers. Many other materials conceptually could be formed into suitable particulate drug carriers: synthetic polymers other than PLGA, natural polymers, chemical derivatives of natural polymers, selected inorganics, and nonpolymeric lipids. The purpose of this paper is not to discuss the advantages and limitations of each of these classes of carrier materials, but to contrast the features of PLGA copolymers with those of potentially competitive natural polymers. PLGA copolymers are used as the reference standard, because they are an approved family of biodegradable drug carrier polymers utilized by many research groups globally.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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