DPPC:MPOx chimeric advanced Drug Delivery nano Systems (chi-aDDnSs): physicochemical and structural characterization, stability and drug release studies.

Chimeric advanced Drug Delivery nano Systems (chi-aDDnSs) could be defined as mixed nanosystems composed of different biomaterials that can be organized into new nanostructures that can offer advantages as drug carriers. In this work, we report on the self assembly behavior and on stability studies of chi-aDDnSs consisting of DPPC (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) and poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-grad-poly(2-phenyl-2-oxazoline) (MPOx) gradient copolymer in Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS). Light scattering techniques were used in order to extract information on their physicochemical and structural characteristics (i.e. ζ-potential, Polydispersity Index (PD.I.), size/shape and morphology), while their stability was also studied as a function of gradient block copolymer content, as well as temperature. The colloidal stability of the chimeric nanovectors and their thermoresponsive behavior indicates that these nanosystems could be considered as sterically stabilized nanocontainers. DPPC:MPOx chimeric advanced Drug Delivery nano Systems were found to be effective nanocontainers for the incorporation of indomethacin (IND). The combination of gradient block copolymers with phospholipids for the development of novel chimeric nanovectors is reported for the first time and appears very promising, mostly due to the fact that the MPOx acts as a modulator for the release rate of the IND.