pH-Responsive Polymersomes Prepared Using Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly for Biotherapeutic Delivery

Klaudia Slowik – Research Associate, University of Sheffield; Helen Colley – Professor, University of Sheffield; Craig Murdoch – Professor, University of Sheffield; Paul Hatton – Professor, University of Sheffield; Steven Armes – Professor, University of Sheffield

Introduction:

Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) offers a useful strategy for the efficient encapsulation of biomacromolecules within diblock copolymer vesicles under mild conditions. This approach eliminates the need for a separate vesicle loading step and is particularly advantageous for drug delivery applications if biocompatible vesicles can be designed to release their encapsulated cargo in response to a specific environmental stimulus. Ideally, such vesicles should remain intact after endocytosis but undergo dissociation when exposed to the mildly acidic conditions (pH ~5) found within intracellular endosomal compartments of mammalian cells.