NOVEL TAXOL(R) FORMULATION - POLYVINYLPYRROLIDONE NANOPARTICLE-ENCAPSULATED TAXOL(R) FOR DRUG-DELIVERY IN CANCER-THERAPY

Taxol(R) is a novel antitumor alkaloid that has shown clinical activit y against several tumors. However, due to its low aqueous solubility, Cremophor EL (polyoxyethylated castor oil) and ethanol are used as exc ipients in the pharmaceutical drug formulations. These agents are impl icated in hypersensitivity reactions. Hence the goal of this work was to design a novel Taxol formulation using polymeric nanoparticles to e liminate the Cremophor EL vehicle for drug delivery. Polyvinylpyrrolid one nanoparticles containing Taxol were prepared by a reverse microemu lsion method. The size of the nanoparticles as determined by quasielas tic light scattering was found to be between 50 and 60 nm. The antitum or effect of Taxol encapsulated nanoparticles was evaluated in B16F10 murine melanoma transplanted in C57B1/6 mice. The in vivo efficacy of Taxol-containing nanoparticles as measured by reduction in tumor volum e and increased survival time was significantly greater than that of a n equivalent concentration of free Taxol. These results suggest that e ncapsulation of Taxol in polymeric nanoparticles could be useful in im proving its therapeutic efficacy in treatment of solid tumors. Copyrig ht (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.