Liposomal cisplatin compositions for cancer therapy

1. A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof comprising:

administering to the subject a composition comprising:

(a) zwitterionic liposomes consisting essentially of from about 55 mol % to about 65 mol % of a phosphatidylcholine lipid or mixture of phosphatidylcholine lipids, from about 30 mol % to about 45 mol % of cholesterol, and from about 2 mol % to about 5 mol % of a PEG-lipid; and

(b) cisplatin, encapsulated in said liposome in an amount such that the ratio of the total lipid weight to the cisplatin weight is from about 65:1 to about 95:1;

wherein the composition has a maximum tolerated dose greater than about 10 mg/kg and a peak DNA/platinum (Pt) adduct value greater than about 10 pg of Pt per μg of DNA, and

wherein the cancer is carcinoma.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phosphatidylcholine lipid in the composition is selected from the group consisting of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC), dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phosphatidylcholine lipid in the composition is POPC.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phosphatidylcholine lipid in the composition comprises DSPC and DPPC.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phosphatidylcholine lipid in the composition is DSPC.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-lipid in the composition is selected from the group consisting of a diacyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethene glycol)], an N-acyl-sphingosine-1-{succinyl[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)]}, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-lipid in the composition is selected from the group consisting of distearoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethene glycol)-2000] (DSPE-PEG-2000) and distearoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethene glycol)-5000] (DSPE-PEG-5000).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposome in the composition comprises about 40-50 mol % DSPC, about 15-25 mol % DPPC, about 25-35 mol % cholesterol, and about 5 mol % DSPE-PEG(2000).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposome in the composition comprises about 46 mol % DSPC, about 19 mol % DPPC, about 30 mol % cholesterol, and about 5 mol % DSPE-PEG(2000).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposome in the composition comprises about 55-75 mol % DSPC, about 20-40 mol % cholesterol, and about 5 mol % DSPE-PEG(2000).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposome in the composition comprises about 65 mol % DSPC, about 30 mol % cholesterol, and about 5 mol % DSPE-PEG(2000).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposome in the composition comprises about 57 mol % POPC, about 38 mol % cholesterol, and about 5 mol % DSPE-PEG(2000).

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the total lipid weight to the cisplatin weight in the composition is about 75:1 to 90:1.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the total lipid weight to the cisplatin weight in the composition is about 90:1.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposomes in the composition have an average particle size of from about 75 to about 125 nm (volume mean).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic liposomes in the composition have an average particle size of about 90 nm (volume mean).

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition has greater efficacy in vivo than cisplatin to reduce mean tumor volume.