Recent developments in micellar drug carriers featuring substituted poly(ε-caprolactone)s

Abstract

In the field of drug delivery, synthetic polymers have been widely explored due to their range of properties and functions achievable by tuning their structures. Poly(ε-caprolactone)s in particular have established themselves as excellent candidates for biomedical applications because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and synthetic versatility. In this review, applications of functional poly(ε-caprolactone)s in drug delivery systems are highlighted. Recent studies regarding the encapsulation or direct conjugation of drugs, bioactive molecules and moieties for targeting are discussed. Also considered are advances in amphiphilic polymers with functional poly(ε-caprolactone)s that exhibit stimuli-responsive behavior: pH-, thermo-, photo-, and reduction-sensitive. Ongoing research and development of functional poly(ε-caprolactone)s continues to expand their potential for use in micellar drug delivery systems.