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Purpose: Formulate phospho-sulindac (P-S, OXT-328) in a Pluronic hydrogel to be used as a topical anti-inflammatory agent and study its efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics in an arthritis model. Methods: LEW/crlBR rats with Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis were treated with P-S formulated in Pluronic hydrogel (PSH). We determined the clinical manifestations of arthritis including the locomotor activity of the rats; evaluated joints for inflammation, bone resorption, cartilage damage, COX-2 expression and NF-κB activation; assayed plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels; and studied the pharmacokinetics of P-S in rats after topical or oral administration. Results: PSH applied at the onset of arthritis or when arthritis was fully developed, suppressed it by 56-82%, improved the locomotor activity of the rats 2.1-4.4 fold, suppressed synovial inflammation, bone resorption, cartilage damage, NF-κB activation and COX-2 expression but not plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels. There were no side effects. PSH produced rapidly high local levels of P-S with <14% of P-S reaching the circulation, while orally administered P-S was rapidly metabolized generating much lower joint levels of P-S. Conclusions: Topical application of PSH is efficacious and safe in the treatment of Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis; has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile; and likely acts by suppressing key pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades, great efforts have been devoted to design polymers for reducing the toxicity, increasing the absorption, and improving the release profile of drugs. Advantage has been also taken from the inherent multivalency of polymers and dendrimers for the incorporation of diverse functional molecules of interest in targeting and diagnosis. In addition, polymeric hydrogels with the ability to encapsulate drugs and cells have been developed for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. In the long road to this successful story, pharmaceutical sciences have been accompanied by parallel advances in synthetic methodologies allowing the preparation of precise polymeric materials with enhanced properties. In this context, the introduction of the click concept by Sharpless and coworkers in 2001 focusing the attention on modularity and orthogonality has greatly benefited polymer synthesis, an area where reaction efficiency and product purity are significantly challenged. The purpose of this Expert Review is to discuss the impact of click chemistry in the preparation and functionalization of polymers, dendrimers, and hydrogels of interest in drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A challenge in the field of nanobubbles, including lipobubbles and polymeric nanobubbles, is identification of formulation approaches to enhance circulation time or 'bubble life' in the specific organ to allow for organ visualization. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of two specific preparation approaches, polymeric surface modification to lipobubbles and a one-step approach for the preparation of ionotropically originated polymeric hydrogel nanobubbles for the production of biocompatible, biodegradable, and sufficiently echogenic ('flexible') bubbles, preferably within the nanometer range, that possess an enhanced in vivo lifetime compared to an unmodified lipobubble to allow visualization of the lymph node vasculature. Methods: In the first approach, formed liposomes (basic and polymerically enhanced) were sequentially layered with appropriate cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes followed by transformation into polymer-coated nanobubbles. In addition, a one-step approach was employed for the fabrication of ionotropically originated polymeric hydrogel bubbles. Results: Bubble lifetime was marginally enhanced by self-deposition of polyelectrolytes onto the normal lipobubble, however, not significantly ( P = 0.0634). In general, formulations possessing a higher ratio of anionic:cationic coats and highly anionic overall surface charge (−20.62 mV to −17.54 mV) possessed an enhanced lifetime. The improvement in bubble lifetime was significant when a purely polymeric polyionic hydrogel bubble shell was instituted compared to a normal unmodified lipobubble ( P = 0.004). There was enhanced persistence of these systems compared to lipobubbles, attributed to the highly flexible, interconnected hydrogel shell which minimized gas leakage. The prolonged contrast signal may also be attributed to a degree of polymeric deposition/endothelial attachment. Conclusions: This study identified the relevance of polymeric modifications to nanobubbles for an improved circulating lifetime, which would be essential for application of these systems in passive drug or gene targeting via the enhanced permeability and retention effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]