mPEG-PLA and PLA-PEG-COOH from PolySciTech used in development of prostate cancer therapy

Ensuring appropriate delivery of drug molecules to the location of action is critical for their efficacy. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men and can be aggressive and spread. This type of cancer can be targeted by a specific antigen. Recently, researchers at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran) used mPEG-PLA (AK054) and PLA-PEG-COOH (AI030) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to create galbanic acid/docetaxel loaded nanoparticles decorated with a targeting molecule for prostate cancer treatment. This research holds promise to provide for improved therapies against this common type of cancer. Read more: Afsharzadeh, Maryam, Maryam Hashemi, Maryam Babaei, Khalil Abnous, and Mohammad Ramezani. "PEG‐PLA nanoparticles decorated with small‐molecule PSMA ligand for targeted delivery of galbanic acid and docetaxel to prostate cancer cells." Journal of cellular physiology (2019). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jcp.29339

“Abstract: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent non‐drug delivery system cutaneous malignancies. Undoubtedly, introducing novel treatment options to achieve higher therapeutic index will be worthwhile. In this study, we report for the first time, a novel targeted self‐assembled based on PEG‐PLA nanoparticles (PEG‐PLA NPs) containing galbanic acid (GBA) and docetaxel, which was targeted using ((S)‐2‐(3‐((S)‐5‐amino‐1‐carboxypentyl) ureido) pentanedioic acid (ACUPA), a small molecule inhibitor targeting prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA), in prostate cancer cell line. The prepared NPs were characterized by different analytical methods. The MTT assay was used to compare the anti‐proliferation of drugs‐loaded PEG‐PLA NPs and ACUPA‐PEG‐PLA against LNCaP (PSMA+) and PC3 (PSMA−) cells. PEG‐PLA NPs with an average size of 130–140 nm had an enhanced release of GBA and docetaxel at pH 5.5 compared with pH 7.5. Spectrofluorometric analysis suggested that ACUPA‐modified PEG‐PLA could effectively enhance the drug uptake in PSMA+ prostate cancer cells. Cytotoxicity studies showed that the targeted NPs loaded with different concentrations of GBA and fixed concentration of docetaxel (4 nM) have shown higher toxicity (IC50 30 ± 3 µM) than both free GBA (80 ± 4.5 µM) and nontargeted NPs (IC50 40 ± 4.6 µM) in LNCaP cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that ACUPA‐conjugated PEG‐PLA nanosystem containing GBA and docetaxel is a viable delivery carrier for various cancer‐targeting PSMA that suffer from short circulation half‐life and limited therapeutic efficacy.”