Advances in amphiphilic polylactide/vinyl polymer based nano-assemblies for drug delivery

Micelles from self-assembled amphiphilic copolymers are highly attractive in drug delivery, due to their small size and hydrophilic stealth corona allowing prolonged lifetimes the bloodstream thus improved bioavailability. Polylactide (PLA)-based copolymer micelles key candidates this field, owing well-established biodegradability biocompatibility of PLA. While PLA-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block can be seen as “gold standard” delivery research so far, progresses controlled radical polymerizations (Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization, Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization) have offered new opportunities design advanced for flexibility many regards: (i) they easily combined with ring-opening polymerization (ROP) lactide, a diversity types architectures (e.g., block, graft, star), (ii) allow (co)polymerization wide range vinyl monomers, possibly circumventing PEG limitations, (iii) functionalization (with biomolecules or stimuli-cleavable moieties) is versatile end-group fidelity copolymerization ability reactive/functional comonomers. In review, we report on advances past decade such PLA/vinyl polymer based nano-carriers, regarding properties character, cell targeting stimuli-responsiveness.