title: Dendrimers in Medicine: Therapeutic Concepts and Pharmaceutical Challenges.
abstract: Dendrimers are three-dimensional macromolecular structures originating from a central core molecule and surrounded by successive addition of branching layers (generation). These structures exhibit a high degree of molecular uniformity, narrow molecular weight distribution, tunable size and shape characteristics, as well as multivalency. Collectively, these physicochemical characteristics together with advancements in design of biodegradable backbones have conferred many applications to dendrimers in formulation science and nanopharmaceutical developments. These have included the use of dendrimers as pro-drugs and vehicles for solubilization, encapsulation, complexation, delivery, and site-specific targeting of small-molecule drugs, biopharmaceuticals, and contrast agents. We briefly review these advances, paying particular attention to attributes that make dendrimers versatile for drug formulation as well as challenging issues surrounding the future development of dendrimer-based medicines.
authors: †Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors: Lin-Ping
authors: LP
authors: Wu
authors: ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Ficker
authors: ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors: Jørn B
authors: JB
authors: Christensen
authors: §CosmoPHOS Ltd, 77 Tsimiski Street, GR-54622, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Panagiotis N
authors: PN
authors: Trohopoulos
authors: †Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.|∥NanoScience Centre, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors: Seyed Moein
authors: SM
authors: Moghimi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers