Liposome Formulation for Cancer Treatment Research

Liposomes represent promising candidates in the field of nanomedicine for drug delivery and cancer therapy, as they can encapsulate drugs with a wide range of physical and chemical properties, thereby enhancing the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs through chemical modification. At CD Formulation, we focus on advancing liposome technology for researchers dedicated to cancer therapy studies.

Advantages of Liposome Systems in Cancer Treatment Research

Liposome therapy offers several benefits over traditional anti-cancer drugs:

• Enhanced Drug Specificity: Liposomes facilitate precise and targeted drug delivery to the tumor microenvironment or specific cell types, thereby minimizing systemic side effects, maximizing drug concentration, and enhancing anti-cancer immune responses.
• Improved Stability and Bioavailability: Liposomes can function as protective carriers for drugs, shielding them from degradation and thereby improving their stability and bioavailability.
• Reduced Toxicity: Liposomes can mitigate systemic and anti-cancer drug toxicity.
• Prolonged Circulation: Liposomes can prolong the duration of drug circulation in the body.
• Biocompatibility and Biodegradability: Liposomes exhibit biocompatibility and biodegradability.
• Combination Therapy Capabilities: Liposomes enable simultaneous delivery of multiple drugs, including those used in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and phototherapy.

Strategies for Targeted Delivery of Liposome Antitumor Drugs

Liposomes can target tumor cells through passive or active mechanisms. Upon reaching cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, they release their therapeutic contents through various pathways. Factors such as lipid composition, membrane surface charge, cancer type, target cell type, and the presence of specific ligands on the liposome membrane significantly influence cell-lipid interactions.

Fig.1 Liposome binding to specific target cells. (Rommasi, F., et al, 2021)

Current Targeting Technologies:

The focus of targeted delivery technology is primarily on two approaches:

• Specific Binding: Surface ligands on liposomes bind to target cells (specific uptake).
• Non-Specific Binding: Mechanisms such as molecular attraction and electrostatic forces facilitate non-specific uptake.

Fig.2 Functional stimulus-responsive nanocarriers for cancer therapy. (Kaushik, N., et al, 2022)

Main Applications of Liposomes in Cancer Treatment Research

Liposomes have been used in clinical practice for over 30 years. Main antitumor liposome small molecule chemotherapeutic agents (such as anthracyclines) are the earliest clinical applications of liposome delivery systems. Ongoing research is focused on the development of proactive 'ligand-mediated' targeted approaches to continuously reduce the frequency and dosage of drug administration. CD Formulation's scientists are still striving to overcome numerous obstacles that exist in the utilization of liposomes for cancer treatment research.

Cancer	Case Studies
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Lung cancer can be categorized into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Among these, NSCLC exhibits a significantly higher incidence rate in patients, constituting approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Nevertheless, the treatment options for NSCLC remain constrained due to the development of resistance and off-target events by cancer cells, as the primary challenge for current therapies.	Inhaled Osimertinib (OB) liposomes have the potential to decrease drug concentration within primary lung tumors and mitigate systemic toxicity. Fig.3 Pulmonary delivery of osimertinib liposomes for non-small cell lung cancer treatment. (Sawant, S.S., et al, 2022)
Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreatic cancer poses a formidable challenge in terms of treatment, often deemed incurable. Although chemotherapy remains the primary treatment option, the prognosis is grim. The emergence of drug carrier systems has been a response to significant obstacles such as low drug penetration efficiency and resistance.	HSA-BMS@CAP-ILTSL technology represents a highly advanced photothermal therapy (PTT) technique. Fig.4 Preparation and assessment of liposomes targeting for photothermal and photodynamic therapy. (Yu Q, et al, 2021)
Breast Cancer Therapy. Nanocarriers have had a significant impact on cancer treatment as a drug delivery system (DDS). Currently, there are several nanomedicines such as Doxil®, Myocet®, Abraxane®, Onivyde®, DaunoXome®, and ThermoDox® that have been applied in clinical trials for breast cancer treatment on the market.	The LinTT1 peptide was conjugated to the surface of liposomes, leading to the development of targeted nanoparticles that enhanced the cytotoxic effects of co-delivered doxorubicin (DOX) and sorafenib (SRF) in therapeutic liposomes against 2D and 3D breast cancer cell models. Fig.5 LinTT1 peptide-functionalized liposomes for targeted breast cancer therapy. (d'Avanzo N, et al, 2021)
Glioblastoma (GBM) Therapy. Glioblastoma (GBM) poses a significant challenge due to the limited penetration of cancer drugs through the blood-brain barrier, high rates of recurrence following treatment, and its high malignancy. Moreover, currently available treatment strategies present considerable difficulty in managing this condition.	Tf-ELE/CTX@BLIP represents a promising nanoplatform for targeted drug delivery to glioblastoma. Fig.6 Nanocarriers proposed for the delivery of PTM in different therapeutic approaches. (Li, J., et al, 2021)

Our Capabilities in Liposome Anti-Cancer Drug Research

• Tumor Targeting Technology: Our research on large molecule ligands (peptides, antibodies, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid aptamers) continuously improves targeting precision.
• Multiple Drug Delivery Expertise: Our team excels in developing liposome-based delivery systems, including inhalation, oral, and transdermal formulations.
• Stability and Consistency: Our liposome formulation process minimizes batch-to-batch variation, meeting the complex demands of large-scale manufacturing.

Explore Our Services for Anti-Cancer Liposome Research

As a leader in liposome technology, CD Formulation is dedicated to advancing liposome formulations in cancer research and anti-cancer drug development. Contact us for assistance with your research projects.

How It Works

STEP 1

Submit a service request describing your specific research or development need.

STEP 2

We'll email you to provide your quote and confirm order details if applicable.

STEP 3

Execute the project with real-time communication, and deliver the final report promptly.