Self-Propelled and Targeted Drug Delivery of Poly(aspartic acid)/Iron–Zinc Microrocket in the Stomach

For many medical treatments, particularly cancer, it is necessary to develop a biocompatible microscale device that can carry a sufficient amount of a drug and deliver it to target sites. While chemically powered micromotors have been applied in live animal therapy, many of them are difficult to biodegrade in vivo, which might cause toxicity and side effects. Here, we report on a microdevice that consists of a poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) microtube, a thin Fe intermediate layer, and a core of Zn. This device can be propelled using gastric acid as a fuel. After adsorption of doxorubicin onto a PASP surface, the microrocket can carry drugs, magnetically locate targets, permeate the gastric mucus gel layer, and increase drug retention in the stomach without inducing an obvious toxic reaction. All materials in the microrockets are biocompatible and biodegradable and can be readily decomposed by the gastric acid or by proteases in the digestive tract. Such microrockets, made with poly(amino acid)s, will extend the practical biomedical applications of micro- and nanomotors.