PolyVivo AK09 (mPEG-P(DL)La) ultrasound publication

Recent publication from Thakker et. al. further describes the combination of ultrasound and nanodroplet therapy utilizing PolyVivo AK09 as the emulsifying agent. This was done by directly dissolving the water soluble AK09 5% w/v in saline and sonicating with 1% perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether to emulsify the fluorocarbon. It was noted that the emulsion was stable in the refrigerator for several weeks indicating a highly stable emulsion.

Thakkar, Dhaval, Roohi Gupta, Kenneth Monson, and Natalya Rapoport. "Effect of Ultrasound on the Permeability of Vascular Wall to Nano-emulsion Droplets." Ultrasound in medicine & biology (2013). (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301562913006868)

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The effect of ultrasound on the permeability of blood vessels to nano-emulsion droplets was investigated using excised mouse carotid arteries as model blood vessels. Perfluorocarbon nano-droplets were formed by perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether and stabilized by poly(ethylene oxide)-co-poly(DL-lactide) block co-polymer shells. Nano-droplet fluorescence was imparted by interaction with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (molecular weight = 70,000 Da). The permeability of carotid arteries to nano-droplets was studied in the presence and absence of continuous wave or pulsed therapeutic 1-MHz ultrasound. The data indicated that the application of ultrasound resulted in permeabilization of the vascular wall to nano-droplets. The effect of continuous wave ultrasound was substantially stronger than that of pulsed ultrasound of the same total energy. No effect of blood vessel pre-treatment with ultrasound was observed.
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