Drug carriers with star polymer structures

Abstract

In this review we summarize several synthetic approaches to the advanced synthesis of star-like polymer-based drug carriers. Moreover, their application as nanomedicines for therapy or the diagnosis of neoplastic diseases and their biodistribution are reviewed in detail. From a broad spectrum of star-like systems, we focus only on fully water-soluble systems, mainly based on poly(ethylene glycol) or N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide polymer and copolymer arms and polyamidoamine dendrimers serving as the core of the star-like systems.