Polymeric Microspheres Designed to Carry Crystalline Drugs at Their Surface or Inside Cavities and Dimples

Injectable polymer microparticles with the ability to carry and release pharmacologically active agents are attracting more interest. This study is focused on chemical synthesis, characterization, preliminary exploration of utility a new type injectable drug-releasing microparticle. The particles feature combination structural physico-chemical properties: (i) their geometry deviates from spherical in sense that have cavity; (ii) porous can therefore be loaded crystalline drug formulations; crystals reside at both particle’s surfaces inside cavities; (iii) relatively dense since network contains covalently bound iodine (approximately 10% by mass); this renders drug-loaded traceable (localizable) X-ray fluoroscopy. presents several examples. First, were voriconazole, which potent antifungal used ophthalmology treat fungal keratitis (infection/inflammation cornea caused penetrating fungus). Drug loading as high mass (=mass immobilized drug/(mass microparticle + drug) × 100%) could achieved. Slow local voriconazole these was observed vitro. These findings hold promise regarding approaches keratitis. Moreover, help expand scope transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) technique it enables use higher loadings (thus enabling concentration or extended therapy duration), well application hydrophobic drugs cannot existing TACE embolic particles.