ProductDescription
Poly(L-lactide)-block-poly(ethyleneglycol)-Folate(PLA-PEG-Folate,PLA-PEG-Folicacid,orPLA-PEG-FOL)isafunctionalamphiphilicblockcopolymer(ABC)whichhasFolicacid聽groupattheendofPEGblockandisusedtopreparenanoparticlesandmicellesfortargeteddrugdelivery.PLA-PEGisoneofthemostcommonlyusedbiodegradableABCpolymersfordrugdelivery.FolatereceptorsarecellularsurfaceMarkersfornumeroussolidtumorsandmyeloidleukemias.
Folatetargeteddrugdeliveryhasemergedasanalternativetherapyforthetreatmentandimagingofmanycancersandinflammatorydiseases.Duetoitssmallmolecularsizeandhighbindingaffinityforcellsurfacefolatereceptors(FR),folateconjugateshavetheABIlitytodeliveravarietyofmolecularcomplexestopathologiccellswithoutcausingharmtonormaltissues.ComplexesthathavebeensuccessfullydeliveredtoFRexpressingcells,todate,includeproteintoxins,immunestimulants,chemotherapeuticagents,liposomes,nanoparticles,andimagingagents.ThisreviewwillsummarizetheapplicationsoffolicacidasatargetingligandandhighlightthevariousmethodsbeingdevelopedfordeliveryoftherapeuticandimagingagentstoFR-expressingcells.