Paclitaxel-Triazine Dendrimer Constructs: Efficacy, Toxicity, and Characterization

This chapter reviews work from our laboratory over the last 10 years as it pertains to efforts focused on the exploration of triazine dendrimers as vehicles for drug delivery. The discussion is restricted to our efforts in paclitaxel-laden constructs, an area that we have had the most success and have made the greatest investment in time and energy. Areas of emphasis include the evolution of synthetic strategies, characterization, biodistribution, biocompatibility, safety and toxicity, efficacy, and therapeutic advantage. Throughout, limitations and challenges to these efforts are delineated. This chapter is not intended to exhaustively recapitulate the published work. Interested readers are referred to the original research publications and the supporting information provided with each. Instead, the intent is to provide insight into the evolution of the design and to realize this opportunity to share intuitions currently guiding these efforts which, accordingly, are less (or as yet un-) substantiated with experiment.