(526c) Bicompartmental Janus Particles for Dual Drug Delivery with Independent Release Kinetics

Combination therapy is a multipronged approach aimed at difficult-to-treat diseases such as cancer. Synergistic drugs increase therapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects by targeting multiple molecular pathways or acting through different mechanisms. Because treatment can only be effective if both drugs reach the target side, particulate drug delivery systems are often employed in combination therapy. Two drugs of similar solubility can be encapsulated in the core of polymer nanoparticles or solid lipid nanoparticles. Alternatively, core-shell particles and liposomes entrap one drug in the core and another drug in the outer layer. No existing nanocarrier allows for simultaneous delivery of two drugs with different solubility and temporally controlled release. Bicompartmental Janus particles offer independent release kinetics, where the onset and rate of release is defined by the degradation behavior of each individual compartment. Two hydrophobic drugs were loaded into separate compartments using the oil-in-water single emulsion method. A double water-in-oil-in-water emulsion was used to encapsulate a hydrophilic and hydrophobic drug. Curcumin and quercetin are the model hydrophobic drugs, while acetaminophen and naproxen are the model hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, respectively. Various formulation parameters such as drug concentration, polymer concentration, surfactant concentration, and phase volume ratio were investigated in order to optimize encapsulation efficiency. The unique drug release profiles of biodegradable PLGA/PCL Janus particles were studied using UV/Vis spectroscopy. Release profiles can be tailored by changing the polymers that make up the Janus particles.