Nanochannel Technology for Constant Delivery of Chemotherapeutics: Beyond Metronomic Administration

• DOI: 10.1007/s11095-010-0195-6
• Publication Date: 2010-06-30T21:22:21Z
• Authors: Alessandro Grattoni; Haifa Shen; Daniel Fine; Arturas Ziemys; Jaskaran S. Gill; Lee Hudson; Sharath Hosali; Randy Goodall; Xuewu Liu; Mauro Ferrari
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Interferon-alpha; Antineoplastic Agents; Membranes, Artificial; Interferon alpha-2; Recombinant Proteins; Nanostructures; Diffusion; 03 medical and health sciences; Drug Delivery Systems; Delayed-Action Preparations; Neoplasms; Humans; Nanotechnology; Leuprolide; Particle Size

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the long-term, controlled, zero-order release of low- and high-molecular weight chemotherapeutics through nanochannel membranes by exploiting the molecule-to-surface interactions presented by nanoconfinement.Silicon membranes were produced with nanochannels of 5, 13 and 20 nm using standardized industrial microfabrication techniques. The study of the diffusion kinetics of interferon α-2b and leuprolide was performed by employing UV diffusion chambers. The released amount in the sink reservoir was monitored by UV absorbance.Continuous zero-order release was demonstrated for interferon α-2b and leuprolide at release rates of 20 and 100 μg/day, respectively. The release rates exhibited by these membranes were verified to be in ranges suitable for human therapeutic applications.Our membranes potentially represent a viable nanotechnological approach for the controlled administration of chemotherapeutics intended to improve the therapeutic efficacy of treatment and reduce many of the side effects associated with conventional drug administration.