 Targeted drug delivery by polymer particles is considered as one of the most promising strategies for improving patients' recovery and well-being. Poly(2-oxazoline)s have gained considerable attention as material class for the production of such particles. Two strategies can be employed for the synthesis of crosslinked poly(2-oxazoline)-based networks, in-situ crosslinking during the polymerization itself or polymeranalogous crosslinking by click reactions such as the thiol-ene reaction. Correspondingly, poly(2-oxazoline) networks can be synthesized from mono- and bisfunctional 2-oxazolines in one-pot/one-step strategies. Depending on the type of monomers, substitution patterns, and amount of crosslinker, gels with varying swelling degrees and varying hydrophilicity can be synthesized. Those gels can be loaded with small organic compounds such as APIs during the polymerization (covalent attachment) or during swelling/deswelling strategies (physical inclusion). Surface functionalization of ene-bearing gels with cysteine-bearing peptides exhibiting the RGD motif yields microparticles with enhanced recognition of BON cancer cells compared to healthy EA.hy cells.

RGD-functionalized poly(2-oxazoline)-based particles as potential drug carriers

248th National Meeting (2014)

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