pH-sensitive polymeric micelles for targeted delivery to inflamed joints

Effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is hindered by the lack of drugs that selectively target inflamed joints. Liposomes, nanoparticles and conventional micelles loaded with limited amounts of drugs may be unstable in the circulation and result in uncontrolled drug release kinetics. Here we developed a new drug delivery system of pH-sensitive polymeric micelles based on an acid-labile hydrazone bond. Amphiphilic conjugates of a PEG-based...