A single dose of doxorubicin-functionalized bow-tie dendrimer cures mice bearing C-26 colon carcinomas

The antitumor effect of doxorubicin (DOX) conjugated to a biodegradable dendrimer was evaluated in mice bearing C-26 colon carcinomas. An asymmetric biodegradable polyester dendrimer containing 8-10 wt % DOX was prepared. The design of the dendrimer carrier optimized blood circulation time through size and molecular architecture, drug loading through multiple attachment sites, solubility through PEGylation, and drug release through the use of pH-sensitive hydrazone linkages. In culture, dendrimer-DOX was >10 times less toxic than free DOX toward C-26 colon carcinoma cells after exposure for 72 h. Upon i.v. administration to BALB/c mice with s.c. C-26 tumors, dendrimer-DOX was eliminated from the serum with a…

• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: GM 65361, EB 002047