Active-Targeted Dendritic Systems for Cancer Therapy – A SANS Study to Assess Nanoparticle Size and Distribution in Biorelevant Media

New chemotherapeutic drugs are increasingly making use of nanoscale architectures and active targeting approaches to minimise side effects while increasing efficacy. One such approach is the use of dendrimers, highly defined polymeric systems, which allow surface functionality to be tuned, with, for example targeting ligands, such as peptides. However systematic studies on the effect these ligands play on structure and binding are lacking. This work aims to use small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to explore how the number and size of the targeting ligands, and associated dendrimer-peptide linker, affect the size (Rg) and size distribution (PDI) of the peptide-dendrimer conjugated nanoparticles. Both of these effects will be assessed in two different biorelevant media, which simulate the conditions associated with both intravenous and oral dosage routes, to help direct future formulation decisions.