Drug delivery passive targeting

Polymeric micelles are mostly small (10-100 nm) in size and dmgs can be incorporated by chemical conjugation or physical entrapment. For efficient delivery activity, they shonld maintain their integrity for a sufficient amount of time after injection into the body. Most of the experience with polymeric micelles has been obtained in the field of passive targeting of anticancer drugs to tumours [33]. Attachment of antibodies or sugars, or introduction of a polymer sensitive to variation in temperature or pH has also been stndied [32]. 

Yokoyama, M. 1998. Novel passive targetable drug delivery with polymeric micellSotelated Polymers and Gels, T. Okano Ed., Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 193-229. 

Tumor-targeted drug delivery systems can be classified based on three major approaches (i) passive targeting (ii) active targeting (Fig. 1) and (iii) external stimuli triggering. The advantages and challenges of each approach are discussed below. 

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