Dendrimers are routinely synthesized as tuneable nanostructures that may be designed and regulated as a function of their size, shape, surface chemistry and interior void space. They are obtained with structural control approaching that of traditional biomacromolecules such as DNA/RNA or proteins and are distinguished by their precise nanoscale scaffolding and nanocontainer properties. As such, these important properties are expected to play an important role in the emerging field of nanomedicine. This review will describe progress on the use of these features for both targeted diagnostic imaging and drug-delivery applications. Recent efforts have focused on the synthesis and pre-clinical evaluation of a multipurpose STARBURST® PAMAM (polyamidoamine) dendrimer prototype that exhibits properties suitable for use as: (i) targeted, diagnostic MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)/NIR (near-IR) contrast agents, (ii) and/or for controlled delivery of cancer therapies. Special emphasis will be placed on the lead candidate, namely [core: 1,4-diaminobutane; G (generation)=4.5], [dendri-PAMAM(CO2Na)64]. This dendritic nanostructure (i.e. ∼5.0 nm diameter) was selected on the basis of a very favourable biocompatibility profile [The Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL), an affiliate of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has completed extensive in vitro studies on the lead compound and have found it to be very benign, non-immunogenic and highly biocompatible], the expectation that it will exhibit desirable mammalian kidney excretion properties and demonstrated targeting features.
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February 2007
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Conference Article|
January 22 2007
Dendrimers as multi-purpose nanodevices for oncology drug delivery and diagnostic imaging
D.A. Tomalia;
D.A. Tomalia
1
*Dendritic Nanotechnologies Inc., 2625 Denison Drive, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, U.S.A.
†Department of Chemistry, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, U.S.A.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email tomalia@dnanotech.com).
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L.A. Reyna;
L.A. Reyna
*Dendritic Nanotechnologies Inc., 2625 Denison Drive, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, U.S.A.
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S. Svenson
S. Svenson
*Dendritic Nanotechnologies Inc., 2625 Denison Drive, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, U.S.A.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 22 2006
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2007 The Biochemical Society
2007
Biochem Soc Trans (2007) 35 (1): 61–67.
Article history
Received:
August 22 2006
Citation
D.A. Tomalia, L.A. Reyna, S. Svenson; Dendrimers as multi-purpose nanodevices for oncology drug delivery and diagnostic imaging. Biochem Soc Trans 1 February 2007; 35 (1): 61–67. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0350061
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