Inventors:
Kit S. Lam - Davis CA, US
Juntao Luo - Sacramento CA, US
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA
International Classification:
A61K 51/12, A61K 9/14, A61K 31/337, A61P 35/00, A61K 31/704, A61K 31/7048, C07C 237/14, C07C 247/06, A61K 49/00, A61K 31/4745
US Classification:
424 129, 424 91, 424489, 514449, 514283, 514 34, 514 27, 564153, 552 12
Abstract:
The present invention provides a nanocarrier having an interior and an exterior, the nanocarrier comprising at least one conjugate, wherein each conjugate includes a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer. Each conjugate also includes at least two amphiphilic compounds having both a hydrophilic face and a hydrophobic face. In addition, each conjugate includes an oligomer, wherein at least 2 of the amphiphilic compounds are covalently attached to the oligomer which is covalently attached to the PEG. The nanocarrier is such that each conjugate self-assembles in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier by the orientation of the hydrophobic face of each amphiphilic compound towards each other, and wherein the PEG of each conjugate self-assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.