Diacyllipid-polymer micelles as nanocarriers for poorly soluble anticancer drugs

Highly stable micelles with the size of 10 to 40 nm can be prepared from poly(ethylene glycol)/phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PEG-PE) conjugates. These micelles easily solubilize and firmly retain substantial quantities of various poorly soluble anticancer drugs (m-porphyrin, tamoxifen, taxol). The micelles with encapsulated drugs have the size and size distribution very close to that of original empty micelles. Stable drug-loaded polymeric micelles may represent a convenient drug delivery system into tumors utilizing the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect.