Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of Nanomedicine Using Biodegradable PEG/PCL Polymers as Drug Carriers

Micelles assembled from amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(ε -caprolactone) (PEG/PCL) copolymers are promised as safe and effective drug delivery systems. They offer the potential to achieve high solubility of hydrophobic drugs, long blood circulation time and effective delivery to target organs. These advantages contribute to their application as vehicles of a broad variation of therapeutic compounds. In this review, we discussed the safety of the copolymers, release behavior of PEG/PCL micelles in vitro, and pharmacokinetic profiles referring to the optimized fate in vascular system and targeting biodistribution. Keywords: PEG, PCL, micelles, biodegradation, release, long circulation, target