Therapeutic Nanoreactors: Combining Chemistry and Biology in a Novel Triblock Copolymer Drug Delivery System

Triblock copolymeric nanoreactors are introduced as an alternative for liposomes as encapsulating carrier for prodrug activating enzymes. Inosine−adenosine−guanosine preferring nucleoside hydrolase of Trypanosoma vivax, a potential prodrug activating enzyme, was encapsulated in nanometer-sized vesicles constructed of poly(2-methyloxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-(2-methyloxazoline) triblock copolymers. The nanoreactor is functionalized by incorporation of bacterial porins, OmpF or Tsx, in the reactor wall. Efficient cleavage of three natural substrates and one prodrug, 2-fluoroadenosine, by the nanoreactors was demonstrated.