Biodegradable Block Copolymer Scaffolds for Loading and Delivering Cisplatin Anticancer Drug

Abstract A carboxylic acid substituted amphiphilic diblock copolymer scaffold with a hydrophilic PEG‐chain and hydrophobic biodegradable poly(caprolactone) (PCL), which forms a cisplatin anticancer drug is reported herein. Cisplatin [ cis ‐dichloro‐diammine platinum(II), CDDP] was anchored on the polymer backbone through Pt–OOC–PCL chemical linkage that enabled self‐assembly of the prodrug to produce 110 ± 10 nm nanoparticles in water. These drug loaded nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The polymer‐drug conjugate burst instantaneously in saline and PBS to release 35 % of the cisplatin drug for immediate administration. The remaining drug that retained in the polymer scaffold underwent slow and controlled release to deliver the drug over a period of 6–7 d. In the presence of esterase enzyme; the biodegradable PCL aliphatic ester backbone broke completely to release 100 % loaded drugs within a few hours. This biodegradable diblock copolymer design strategy opens up new platform for cisplatin‐polymer drug delivery approach.