ROMP Polymers as Drug Carriers

Biagini and Parry [73] showed that the block copolymerization of di- and tripeptide-based NBE dicarboximide with PEG-functionalized NBE derivative using a first-generation Grubbs ruthenium initiator yielded water-compatible copolymers. The copolymers formed aggregates upon dispersion in water, and the type of aggregates (folded worms, interpenetrating networks) was directed by the specific peptide sequence rather than by the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance [74]. 

Nyugen and coworkers [77-80] described an NBE-based system in which they employed the ROMP methodology for the synthesis of drug-containing amphiphilic block copolymers capable of assembling into core-shell nanoparticles. They synthesized diblock NBE-based copolymers containing a doxorubicin [78] or indomethacin [77] hydrophobic block and a PEO-fimctionalized 

Gnanou and coworkers [81] also reported the synthesis of amphiphilic random and block copolymers with linking drugs. They studied the binding of indomethacin to NBE derivatives and their ROMP with a first-generation Grubbs ruthenium catalyst in a CH2Cl2/ethanol solvent mixture to obtain PNBE-based colloidal particles. Under acidic conditions, the amount of indomethacin released from both copolymers was 80-85%. 

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