One-pot controlled synthesis of biodegradable and biocompatible co-polymer micelles

A facile route to biocompatible poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-co-poly(ethyleneglycolmethacrylate) (PLGA-PEGMA) block co-polymers is described utilising a combination of ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) and reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) methods. A series of PLGA-PEGMA polymers varying in co-monomer content and block length were synthesised with low polydispersities. All the block co-polymers formed micelles in aqueous solution as shown by dynamic light scattering, while critical micelle concentrations were found to be in the micromolar range. The polymer micelles were able to encapsulate model drugs (carboxyfluorescein and fluorescein isothiocyanate) and selected co-polymer micelles incubated with 3T3 fibroblasts as a model cell line were rapidly taken up as indicated by fluorescence microscopy assays. The combination of the polymer chemistries opens the way to highly flexible syntheses of micellar drug carrier systems