• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2002

Recent progress in understanding the molecular basis of cancer brought out new materials such as oligonucleotides, genes, peptides and proteins as a source of new anticancer agents. Due to their macromolecular properties, however, new strategies of delivery for them are required to achieve their full therapeutic efficacy in clinical setting. Development of improved dosage forms of currently marketed anticancer drugs can also enhance their therapeutic values. Currently developed delivery systems for anticancer agents include colloidal systems (liposomes, emulsions, nanoparticles and micelles), polymer implants and polymer conjugates. These delivery systems have been able to provide enhanced therapeutic activity and reduced toxicity of anticancer agents mainly by altering their pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Furthermore, the identification of cell-specific receptor/antigens on cancer cells have brought the development of ligand- or antibody-bearing delivery systems which can be targeted to cancer cells by specific binding to receptors or antigens. They have exhibited specific and selective delivery of anticancer agents to cancer. As a consequence of extensive research, clinical development of anticancer agents utilizing various delivery systems is undergoing worldwide. New technologies and multidisciplinary expertise to develop advanced drug delivery systems, applicable to a wide range of anticancer agents, may eventually lead to an effective cancer therapy in the future.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2019

Ultrasound sonication along with microbubble (MB) could enhance drug delivery to promote the absorption of anticancer drugs into cancers in a noninvasive and targeted manners. In this study, we verify the acute drug delivery enhancement (within an hour) of two representative focused ultrasound driven drug delivery enhancement methods (MB and Doxorubicin-coated Nanoparticle complex (MB-NP) based). Experiments were conducted using in vivo mouse model with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Ultrasound generated by single-element 1 MHz focused ultrasound transducer was delivered in pulsed sonication consisted of 0.125 msec bursts at a pulse repetition frequency of 2 Hz for 20 seconds without a significant increase in local temperature (less than $0.1^{\circ}C$) or hemorrhage. Doxorubicin concentrations in tumors were improved by 1.97 times in the case of MB-NP, and 1.98 times by using Doxorubicin and MB separately. These results indicate anticancer drug delivery based on MB and MB-NP can significantly improve the effect of anticancer drugs delivered to tumors in a short time period by using low-intensity focused ultrasound.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.37-48
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• 2024

Liposomes are one of the most actively studied and promising drug delivery systems for the treatment of various diseases. In this study, an aptamer-conjugated liposome called "aptamosome" was used, in which an anti-PD-L1 aptamer targeting cancer cells was conjugated to the liposome. These aptamosomes showed remarkable cellular uptake and efficient delivery to Lewis lung carcinoma 2 (LL/2) cancer cells. In addition, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), was delivered through this aptamer to induce a strong anticancer immunotherapeutic effect. The results of this study showed that when LL/2 cells were treated with SAHA-entrapped aptamosome [SAHA] and liposome [SAHA] and free SAHA, aptamosome [SAHA] improved cell death compared with that of liposomes [SAHA] or free SAHA, and it has demonstrated anticancer efficacy. Moreover, aptamosome [SAHA] induce the secretion of chemokines that promote the migration of activated T cells into tumor tissues. Finally, in vivo experiments showed that aptamosome [SAHA] significantly inhibited the growth rate of LL/2 tumors. Therefore, liposomes combined with an anti-PD-L1 aptamer for efficient SAHA delivery are suggested as an excellent model for drug delivery systems suitable for targeting cancer cells.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.570-575
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• 2023

Targeted anticancer drug delivery systems are needed to enhance therapeutic efficacy by selectively delivering drugs to tumor cells while minimizing off-target effects, improving treatment outcomes and reducing toxicity. In this study, a silica-based nanocarrier capable of targeting drug delivery to cancer cells was developed. First, silica nanoparticles were synthesized by the Stöber method using the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Increasing the ratio of EtOH in the solvent produced uniformly spherical silica nanoparticles. Washing the nanoparticles removed unreacted residues, resulting in a non-toxic carrier for drug delivery in cells. Upon surface modification, the pH-responsive polymer, polyethyleneimine (PEI) exhibited slow doxorubicin release at pH 7.4 and accelerated release at pH 5.5. By exploiting this feature, we developed a system capable of targeted drug release in the acidic tumor microenvironment.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2009

Docetaxel is an anticancer agent with low aqueous solubility. More extensive clinical use of this drug is somewhat delayed due to lack of appropriate delivery vehicles. An attempt was made to adopt an o/w emulsion as the drug carrier which incorporated docetaxel in the propyleneglycerol stabilized by a mixed-emulsifier system. A suitable formulation was found in this study: 10 mg/mL docetaxel, 10% (w/v) oil blend, 4% (w/v) PG, 3% (w/v) Solutol HS 15 in 2.25% (w/v) glycerol solution. The formulated emulsion has very good stability when stored at $40^{\cird}C$, and the docetaxel containment efficiency can be maintained above 95% and the mean emulsion diameter around $10{\mu}m$ for at least 3 months. The formulated emulsion is a promising carrier for docetaxel and other lipophilic drugs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.432.1-432.1
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• 2014

Hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is known as the main inorganic component of mature mammalian bones and teeth. Because of its biocompatibility, hydroxyapatite has attracted much attention due to its potential applications in many biomedical researches. Here, we tested a therapeutic potential for the use of hydroxyapatite as an anticancer drug delivery vector. We prepared various types of hydroxyapatite having different chemical contents and morphologies using hydrothermal synthesis. The capability of hydroxyapatite as drug delivery materials was examined by adsorption kinetics of 5-fluorouracil molecules, a common anticancer drug, in phosphate buffered saline. We find that hydroxyapatite with smaller crystal size and higher phosphate contents shows improved adsorption property. Given that hydroxyapatite provides a scaffold for bone regeneration, these results highlight a potential use of hydroxyapatite in therapies aimed at osteosarcoma.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.71-76
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• 2015

The therapy of injecting a fixed amount of a prescribed drug for a predetermined time is an effective treatment in relieving pain during anticancer treatments. Due to recent medical technology development, cancer is currently classified as a disease that can be managed in the patient's lifetime. If patients were able to use a drug delivery system that was portable, sustainable and had an accurate flow control, they would be able to inject medication whenever they need. In this study we developed a piezoelectric micropump for a drug delivery system by designing a pump chamber, check valve and diaphragm. We also developed a driving circuit that consumes low power and to which we applied a variety of signals. We fabricated a portable drug delivery system with this piezoelectric micropump and driving circuit. In addition, through a performance test, we confirmed that the system can precisely control the drug flow rate.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.381-386
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• 2011

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) has been known as a major hurdle in cancer chemotherapy. One of the most clinically significant causes of MDR was the efflux of anticancer agents mediated by p-glycoprotein (p-gp) over-expressed in MDR cancer cells. To overcome MDR, there have been several strategies such as co-administration with p-gp inhibitors and encapsulation of anticancer drugs into drug delivery systems. In the present study, curcumin was evaluated for its potential as p-gp inhibitor and MDR reversal activity when combined with paclitaxel incorporated into lipid nanoparticles (PTX/LN). Western blot assay showed curcumin did not modulate the level of p-gp expression in MCF-7/ADR which is a MDR variant of human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, and over-expresses p-gp. However, curcumin inhibited p-gp-mediated efflux of calcein in a dose-dependent manner even though it showed lower activity compared to verapamil, a well-known p-gp inhibitor. Incorporation of paclitaxel into lipid nanoparticles partially recovered the anticancer activity of paclitaxel in MCF-7/ADR. The combined use of curcumin and PTX/LN exhibited further full reversal of MDR, suggesting susceptibility of PTX/LN to the efflux system. In conclusion, combined approach of using p-gp inhibitors and incorporation of the anticancer agents into nano-delivery systems would be an efficient strategy to overcome MDR.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.546-553
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• 2005

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2012

The amphiphilic copolymer by the conjugation of biocompatible chitosan and antioxidant lipoic acid was studied as a drug delivery carrier. The amphiphilic copolymer was self-assembled to form nanoparticles in the aqueous solution. 5-Fluorouracil widely used as an anticancer drug was encapsulated inside the nanoparticles by a solid dispersion method. The degree of branching of lipoic acid on chitosan was controlled to obtain the optimal condition for the drug delivery carrier. The sizes of nanoparticles were about 250 nm by the dynamic light scattering. The encapsulation efficiency of nanoparticles were about 10%. The copolymer with 42% degree of branching showed the best performance as a drug delivery carrier.