Development of new drug delivery system for protein drugs using silicone (I)

A novel technique, by which protein drugs effective in small doses can be r eleased over a long period, was developed using silicone and a water-solubl e substance. In this study, interferon (IFN) was used as a model of the pro tein drugs. The IFN-silicone formulation released IFN over long periods of time in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in nude mice for about 100 days a fter a single administration. This indicates that physiologically active IF N is released over a prolonged period of time from the IFN-silicone formula tion in vivo. Silicone formulations are expected to be a practically feasib le sustained-release formulation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.