Among several promising new drug-delivery systems, liposomes represent an advanced technology to deliver active molecules to the site of action, and at present several formulations are in clinical use. Research on liposome technology has progressed from conventional vesicles ("first-generation liposomes") to "second-generation liposomes", in which long-circulating liposomes are obtained by modu...

Liposomes which substantially avoid uptake into the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), termed Stealth liposomes, have recently been formulated (Allen, T.M. and Chonn, A., (1987) FEBS Lett. 223, 42-46). The pharmacokinetics of stealth liposomes as a function of liposome dose and a comparison to conventional liposome pharmacokinetics, was the subject of the present study. We have examined the ti...

Ammonium sulfate is one of the subsidiary components in the stealth liposome structure. The ratio of ammonium ion bound to liposome sphere to ammonium ions outside the liposome plays an important role in drug delivery formulation; accordingly, in order to quantify the ammonium ion in the liposome structure, a rapid and sensitive method was validated using a conductivity detector. Through this m...

One recent promising development in the modification of drug formulations to improve chemotherapy is the use of a liposome-mediated drug delivery system. The efficacies of isoniazid and rifampin encapsulated in lung-specific stealth liposomes were evaluated by injecting liposomal drugs and free drugs into tuberculous mice twice a week for 6 weeks. Liposome-encapsulated drugs at and below therap...

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a prodrug of Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), is used for photodynamic therapy of several medical conditions, and as an adjunct for fluorescence guided surgery. The clinical problem of patient photosensitivity after systemic administration could likely be ameliorated if the 5-ALA was delivered more selectivity to the treatment site. Liposomal formulations are inherently ...

Liposomes, which are biodegradable and essentially non-toxic vehicles, can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials, and are utilized as drug carriers in drug delivery systems. Stealth liposomes are surface modified liposomes in which PEG units are attached to the outer surface of liposome units, so that they can escape the opsonization effect in the blood, which is a major cause ...

Absorption of 808 nm laser light by liposomes containing a pH sensitive, near-infrared croconaine rotaxane dye increases dramatically in weak acid. A stealth liposome composition permits acid activated, photothermal heating and also acts as an effective nanoparticle probe for ratiometric photoacoustic imaging of acidic pH in deep sample locations, including a living mouse.

Extensive scientific efforts are directed towards finding new and improved platinum anticancer agents. A promising approach is the encapsulation of cisplatin in sterically stabilized, long circulating, PEGylated 100 nm liposomes. This liposomal cisplatin (STEALTH cisplatin, formerly known as SPI-77) shows excellent stability in plasma and has a longer circulation time, greater efficacy and lowe...

Various liposomal drug carriers have been developed to overcome short plasma half-life and toxicity related side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. We developed a mathematical model to compare different liposome formulations of doxorubicin (DOX): conventional chemotherapy (Free-DOX), Stealth liposomes (Stealth-DOX), temperature sensitive liposomes (TSL) with intra-vascular triggered release (T...