Optimization of an NLC-loaded hydrogel for fenretinide and YARA local codelivery

Vanessa Dartora – Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology; Luciana Lopes – Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de São Paulo; Alyssa Panitch – Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Introduction:

Preventive therapies effectively reduce breast cancer recurrences, but are associated with severe adverse effects, which lower adherence (1). We have designed a multifunctional system for the simultaneous local delivery of lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds to the mammary tissue, consisting of a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC)-loaded in situ forming hydrogel. The lipophilic drug is fenretinide (Fen), a well-tolerated breast cancer preventive with limited use due to low bioavailability (2,3); the hydrophilic molecule is YARA, a MAPKAP kinase-2 inhibiting peptide (4). Here, we present results on optimizing the NLCs for hydrogel incorporation.