Development of delivery methods for carbohydrate-based drugs: controlled release of biologically-active short chain fatty acid-hexosamine analogs.

ABSTRACT: Carbohydrates are attractive candidates for drug development because sugars are involved in many, if not most, complex human diseases including cancer, immune dysfunction, congenital disorders, and infectious diseases. Unfortunately, potential therapeutic benefits of sugar-based drugs are offset by poor pharmacologic properties that include rapid serum clearance, poor cellular uptake, and relatively high concentrations required for efficacy. To address these issues, pilot studies are reported here where 'Bu(4)ManNAc', a short chain fatty acid-monosaccharide hybrid molecule with anti-cancer activities, was encapsulated in polyethylene glycol-sebacic acid (PEG-SA) polymers. Sustained release of biologically active compound was achieved for over a week from drug-laden polymer formulated into

SUBMITTER: Aich U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3038847 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature