Biodegradable polymers have emerged as highly effective drug delivery vehicles. We combine N-carboxyanhydride and O-carboxyanhydride ring opening polymerisations to synthesise a poly(amino acid)-polyester graft copolymer capable of encapsulating, and subsequently releasing doxorubicin via acid-mediated hydrolysis. Consequently, the nanoparticles detailed are extremely promising vehicles for the controlled delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.

The direct grafting of amphiphilic macromolecules by sequential n-carboxyanhydride ring-opening polymerisation (NCA ROP) from a therapeutic initiator enables the formation of monodisperse drug-containing micelles. The subsequent enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of the peptide component permits the programmed release of the encapsulated drug molecules, demonstrating a controlled drug delivery platform that negates any challenging payload loading procedures.

C. I. Disperse Red 1 (DR1) was chemically modified by a facile, one-step, Steglich esterification to yield the thiol-bearing analogue. The dye produced possesses the appropriate functionality to be readily incorporated into appropriate materials by highly effective thiol-ene ‘click’ chemistry reactions. This method of dye modification greatly widens the application range of hydroxyl-bearing reactive dyes for various materials, enabling the facile production of coloured materials by using the thiol groups added.

Organogels prepared with vegetable oils as the liquid organic phase present an excellent platform for the controlled delivery of hydrophobic guest molecules. We disclose a graft copolymer comprised of a poly(L-serine) backbone linked to alkane side-chains by hydrolytically susceptible ester bonds, that is capable of gelating edible safflower oil. The thermoresponsive organogel formed, which is non-cytotoxic, is capable of withholding guest molecules before undergoing targeted disassembly upon incubation in solutions of acidic pH, permitting the directed release of payload molecules. The presented material offers an extremely promising candidate for the controlled delivery of hydrophobic agents within acidic environments, such as cancer tumour sites.

•Poly(S-tert-butylmercapto-l-cysteine)-terminated PEG star polymers are formed.•The copolymers are capable of self-assembly in water to form biodegradable particles.•Polymer deprotection and disulfide crosslinking enables hydrogel formation.•The hydrogels formed are capable of protein encapsulation.•Glutathione-mediated hydrogel degradation results in controlled protein release.The use of amine-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) star polymers as macroinitiators for the N-carboxyanhydride ring-opening polymerisation of S-tert-butylmercapto-l-cysteine N-carboxahydride is described to yield amphiphilic copolymers that are capable of forming discrete particles in aqueous solution. Poly(amino acid) deprotection liberates the pendant thiol groups that can then form covalent disulfide crosslinks with adjacent thiol groups and yield a crosslinked polymer that is capable of hydrogel formation. The model protein albumin–fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate was encapsulated within the hydrogels produced, prior to its release upon hydrogel interaction with the reducing agent glutathione. Consequently, the stimuli-responsive polymers formed hold great promise as biomaterials capable of releasing a protein molecular cargo upon interaction with glutathione.

Biodegradable polymers have emerged as highly effective drug delivery vehicles. We combine N-carboxyanhydride and O-carboxyanhydride ring opening polymerisations to synthesise a poly(amino acid)-polyester graft copolymer capable of encapsulating, and subsequently releasing doxorubicin via acid-mediated hydrolysis. Consequently, the nanoparticles detailed are extremely promising vehicles for the controlled delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.

The direct grafting of amphiphilic macromolecules by sequential n-carboxyanhydride ring-opening polymerisation (NCA ROP) from a therapeutic initiator enables the formation of monodisperse drug-containing micelles. The subsequent enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of the peptide component permits the programmed release of the encapsulated drug molecules, demonstrating a controlled drug delivery platform that negates any challenging payload loading procedures.