Strategies for tamoxifen vehiculation as a strategy to improve breast cancer therapy: polimeric nanoparticles and long time circulation micelles

• Grant number: 09/14573-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2010
• End date: May 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Maldonado Marchetti
• Grantee: Juliana Maldonado Marchetti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most frequent type of cancer worldwide and the most common among women, representing one of the main causes of death. Since 1971, tamoxifen has been used in treatment of this type of cancer and until now it is one of the most used in the treatment of mammary tumors positive estrogen receptors. Although, its antiestrogenic effect is not restricted to the tumoral site, which results is severe adverse effects and can leave irreversible damages. The preparation of delivery systems based on nanotechnology that allow the administration of lower and more effective doses is an strategy to improve efficacy and safety of tamoxifen. Nanoparticulate and micellar systems accumulate preferentially in solid tumors by convective passive transport or extravasation, due to the higher vascular permeability exhibited by tumoral sites. These systems take part in a great area of development, which has been receiving special attention by researchers and companies around the world in the last three decades. This project proposes the preparation, morphological and physicochemical characterization, as the comparative study among pegylated PLA (PEG-PLA) and PLA, long time circulation micelles DSPE and PEG-DSPE containing tamoxifen. The interaction drug-polymer will be evaluated. In vitro study of degradation time of nanoparticles and release profile of tamoxifen from nanoparticles and micellar systems also will be performed. (AU)