title: Polymeric multilayer capsules delivering biotherapeutics.
abstract: Polymeric multilayer capsules have emerged as a novel drug delivery platform. These capsules are fabricated through layer-by-layer sequential deposition of polymers onto a sacrificial core template followed by the decomposition of this core yielding hollow capsules. The resulting nanometer thin membrane is permselective, allowing diffusion of water and ions but excluding larger molecules. Moreover, the sequential fabrication procedure allows a precise fine-tuning of the capsules' physicochemical and biological properties. These properties have put polymeric multilayer capsules under major attention in the field of drug delivery. In this review we focus on polymeric multilayer capsule mediated delivery of biotechnological macromolecular drugs such as peptides, proteins and nucleic acids.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Koker
authors.forename: Liesbeth J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: De Cock
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rivera-Gil
authors.forename: Wolfgang J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Parak
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Auzély Velty
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vervaet
authors.forename: Jean Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Remon
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grooten
authors.forename: Bruno G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: De Geest
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry*; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D011108:Polymers