Novel PEGylated Amphiphilic Copolymers as Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery: Synthesis, Characterization and Curcumin Encapsulation

Amphiphilic polymers can self assemble into micellar nano-particles and can be effectively used as nano carriers for drug delivery. A number of macromolecular delivery systems are under investigation to improve the efficacy of prospective drugs. In this study, seven new co-polymers were synthesized under mild reaction conditions in bulk (without solvent) by chemoenzymatic approach using Candida antarctica lipase (Novozyme 435) and molecular sieves, subsequently these polymers were treated with different long chain bromoalkanes and acid chlorides for attachment of the lipophilic moieties to the backbone polymer via an ether or an ester linkage, respectively in order to make them amphiphilic. These synthesized nano-particles demonstrated high drug loading capacity and have the potential to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs.