Degradable Polymers and Nanoparticles Built from Salicylic Acid

Saeed Akkad, Christopher J. Serpell*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

As more evidence emerges supporting the possibility that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid), might have a role in the prevention and management of certain types of cancer, there have been several attempts to fabricate salicylic acid-based polymers that can be employed in the targeted therapy of tumors. The primary disadvantage so far has been in use of nontherapeutic polymeric backbones that constitute the majority of the therapeutic particle's size. The focus of this research is the creation of a biodegradable polymer consisting only of salicylic acid, and its use as the main building block in targeted nanotherapeutics that would consequently provide both high local dose and sustained release of the active moiety. This work demonstrates the synthesis and degradation of polysalicylates, and modulation of their size and hydrolytic stability through the formation of nanostructures.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1800182
JournalMacromolecular Rapid Communications
Volume39
Issue number14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the University of Kent and the Council for At-Risk Academics for their support.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Keywords

  • block copolymers
  • degradable polymers
  • polymer prodrugs
  • salicylic acid

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