Surface modification of colloidal polymeric microspheres/nanoparticles

COLL 510

Jamie Tsung, Lavipharm Laboratories Inc, 69 Princeton-Hightstown Road, East Windosr, NJ 08520 and Diane J. Burgess, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 372 Fairfield Road, Storrs, CT 06269.
Biodegradable colloidal polymeric drug delivery systems have gained prominence due to their controlled release drug profiles, consequently reducing side effects and improving patient compliance. A major challenge is to efficiently deliver drugs to specific sites in the body. Surface modification of particles provides a strategy to reduce adsorption of plasma protein, altering the biodistribution of the drug delivery system and improving targeting ability by providing site-specific affinity. Examples of model surface modified particulate systems that improve targeted delivery will be reviewed. This presentation will focus on particles prepared with biodegradable polymer poly(lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) and surface modified with gelatin. Preparation, characterization, methods, advantages and limitations, use and recent developments will be discussed.