University of South Florida

Renaud Sicard

Edward Turos

Ryan Scott Cormier

Raphael Labruere

The present invention comprises poly(vinyl benzoate) nanoparticle suspensions as molecular carriers. These nanoparticles can be formed by nanoprecipitation of poly(vinyl benzoate) in water using Pluronic F68 as surfactant, to create spherical nanostructures measuring about 200-250 nm in diameter which are stable in phosphate buffer and blood serum, and only slowly degrade in the presence of esterases. Kinetics experiments in phosphate buffer indicate that 78% of the coumarin-6 was encapsulated within the polymer matrix of the nanoparticle, and the residual 22% of coumarin-6 was surface-bound and quickly released. The nanoparticles are non-toxic in vitro towards human epithelial cells (IC&#x3e;1000 &#x3bc;g/mL) and primary bovine primary aortic endothelial cells (IC&#x3e;500 &#x3bc;g/mL), and exert non-observable bactericidal activity against a selection of representative test microbes (MIC&#x3e;250 &#x3bc;g/mL). Poly(vinyl benzoate) nanoparticles are suitable carriers for molecular delivery of lipophilic small molecules such as drugs pharmaceutical and imaging agents.

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Coral Gables, FL, United States of America

Renaud Sicard