title: Macromolecular prodrugs based on synthetic polyaminoacids: drug delivery and drug targeting in antitumor therapy.
abstract: In the last twenty years a depth study on potential pharmaceutical applications of synthetic polymers at proteinlike structure as carrier for macromolecular prodrug production has been performed in academia and in industry. In particular α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide (PHEA), α,β-polyaspartylhydrazide (PAHy), poly(glutamic acid) (PGA), poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) and polylysine (PLL) have been extensively studied in this field. In the present review, the use of PHEA, PAHy, PGA as starting materials to prepare macromolecular prodrugs is reported and drug delivery and targeting aspects have been considered.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy. gennara.cavallaro@unipa.it
authors.forename: Gennara
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pitarresi
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giammona
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011355:Prodrugs