Novel polymeric/lipidic hybrid systems (PLHs) for effective Cidofovir delivery: preparation, characterization and comparative in vitro study with polymeric particles and liposomes

Cidofovir is an antiviral drug active as antitumoral agent a high doses against the Primary Effusion Lymphoma, a herpesvirus HHV8-associated B-cell lymphoma. A novel polymeric/lipidic hybrid system, consisting in a specific combination of biocompatible materials, capable to build a crossbred betweenpolymeric particles and liposomes were prepared and used to stabilize and deliver the drug, unsuccessfully formulated into several types of carriers. This innovative cidofovir-delivering system has structurally been characterized in comparison to multilamellar liposomes and polymeric particles, and then testedfor antitumoral efficacy against tumor cells (BCBL-1 cell line). The results demonstrated the improving of drug stability and encapsulation efficiency and suggested that polymeric/lipidic hybrid system could be promising to improve the antitumoral effect of cidofovir even at lower doses.