Anti-Cancer Activity Based on the High Docetaxel Loaded Poly(2-Oxazoline)s Micelles

PURPOSE: Nanocarriers, with a high drug loading content and good safety, to achieve desirable therapeutic effect are always the goals for industry and research. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, we developed a docetaxel loaded poly-2-oxazoline polymer micellar system which employed poly-2-butyl-2 oxazoline and poly-2-methyl-2 oxazoline as the hydrophobic chain and hydrophilic chain, respectively. This micellar system achieves a high load up to 25% against the docetaxel, and further demonstrates an IC50 as low as 40% of the commercialized docetaxel injection in vitro and a double maximum tolerated dose in MCF-7 cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: The high drug loading content, superior safety, and considerable anti-cancer activity make this newly developed docetaxel loaded poly(2-oxazoline) micelle go further in future clinical research.