Amphiphilic substance, and drug delivery system and molecular imaging system using the same
The present invention provides a novel amphiphilic substance, a nanoparticle using the novel amphiphilic substance, which can be used as a nanocarrier having high biocompatibility, a drug delivery system and a probe useful for the system, and, a molecular imaging system and a probe useful for the system. An amphiphilic block polymer comprising a hydrophilic block; and a hydrophobic block, wherein the hydrophilic block is a hydrophilic polypeptide chain having 10 or more sarcosine units, and the hydrophobic block is a hydrophobic molecular chain comprising units selected from the group consisting of amino acid units and hydroxyl acid units as essential structural units, and having 5 or more of the essential structural units.
1. An amphiphilic block polymer comprising:
a hydrophilic block; and
a hydrophobic block, wherein
the hydrophilic block is a hydrophilic polypeptide chain having 10 or more sarcosine units, and
the hydrophobic block is a hydrophobic molecular chain comprising units selected from the group consisting of structural units derived from a hydroxyl acid as essential structural units, and having 5 or more of the essential structural units,
wherein the hydroxyl acid comprises glycolic acid, lactic acid and/or hydroxyisobutyric acid.
2. The amphiphilic block polymer according to claim 1 , wherein
the hydrophobic molecular chain is a hydrophobic polyester chain having 5 or more hydroxyl acid units.
3. The amphiphilic block polymer according to claim 1 , further comprising a marker group selected from signal groups and ligands.
4. The amphiphilic block polymer according to claim 3 , wherein the marker group is bound to an end of the amphiphilic block polymer.
5. The amphiphilic block polymer according to claim 3 , wherein the marker group is bound to the unit constituting the amphiphilic block polymer.
6. A molecular assembly comprising one or more kinds of the amphiphilic block polymers according to claim 1 .
7. The molecular assembly according to claim 6 , which has a particulate form.
8. The molecular assembly according to claim 7 , which is a hollow particle.
9. The molecular assembly according to claim 8 , which is a particle having an aqueous phase therein.
10. The molecular assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the aqueous phase contains a drug.
11. The molecular assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the aqueous phase contains a signal agent and/or a ligand.
12. The molecular assembly according to claim 6 , wherein when a marker group is present, the marker group is exposed at the surface of the molecular assembly.
13. The molecular assembly according to claim 6 , which has a particle size of 10 to 500 nm.
14. A molecular probe for drug delivery system, comprising the molecular assembly according to claim 10 .
15. A drug delivery system comprising administration of the molecular assembly according to claim 10 into a living body.
16. A molecular probe for molecular imaging system, comprising the molecular assembly according to claim 11 .
17. A molecular imaging system comprising administration of the molecular assembly according to claim 11 into a living body.