Responsive Polymer-Drug Conjugates

Thermo-responsive polymers have been used to release encapsulated drugs in response to temperature changes. These polymers typically undergo a rapid and reversible hydration-dehydration at lower critical solution temperature (LCST, from soluble to insoluble) or upper critical solution temperature (UCST, from insoluble to soluble) upon heating. [71] For example, a thermo-responsive polymer, poly (2-isopropyl- 2-oxazoline) (PiPrOx), was conjugated to pH-responsive poly(benzyl ether)dendrons, which exhibited sharp thermal transitions as well as pH-dependent behaviors (Fig. 4a).[105]... 

The synthesis of three-dimensional conjugated polymers is of current interest. Conductive polymer gels are responsive to external stimuli such as changes in solvent composition, pH and temperature. These materials could be useful for controlled drug release, as selective permeation membranes, as chemomecha-nical materials, etc. 

McDaniel JR, Bhattacharyya J, Vargo KB, Hassouneh W, Hammer DA, Chilkotl A (2013). Self-assembly of thermally responsive nanoparticles of a genetically encoded peptide polymer by drug conjugation. Angew Chem IntEd Engl, 52,1683-1687. 

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