A magnetic target drug delivery system consisting of biodegradable polymeric microspheres (poly D, L-lactic acid) loaded with magnetite nanoparticles (10-100 nm) and anticancer drug (paclitaxel) was studied. The magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical precipitation. The as-synthesized magnetite nanoparticles were subsequently introduced into a mixture of polymer magnetic polymeric composite particles were investigated and further correlated with the reaction parameters. It was found that the size and characteristics of the polymeric composite particles depended on the viscosity of the polymer solution. Preliminary drug release experiments showed that the loaded drug was released with the degradation of the polymer. The release rates could be enhanced by an oscillating external magnetic field. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Abstract Cancer has been a big issue in the medical science. Many scientists in the world have been trying so hard to find the effective drugs or therapies for different kinds of cancers. However, cancer is till so hard to cure. Until these days targeted therapies show up and give cancer patient a new hope to cure cancer. Targeted therapies are drugs which can block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and progression. By focusing on molecular and cellular changes that are specific to cancer, targeted therapies are more effective than other types of treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and less harmful to normal cells. Targeted therapies have been known by reducing side effects and improving quality life as well. Therefore, many drug manufactures have been investing money on investigating targeted therapies. Target therapy market is rapidly expending, and the competition among the drug manufactures has been more and fiercer. The key or critical success factors to the business of target cancer drugs are the most important issue for the drug manufactures to get the most profit from target drugs. The key success factors can be analyzed by sell strategy, research, development strategy, price strategy and government policy. This paper is trying to find the key success factors for business of target cancer drugs by deep interviewing the top sells managers in the industry and the top doctors in the hospital. Then these interview contents are analyzed by SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat) to find the key success factors for business of target cancer drugs. With these key success factors, hopefully it can help the drug manufactures make good business on target cancer drug market. Keywords: target drug, target therapy, key success factor, critical success factor, SWOT, deep interview.

The aim of this thesis was to determine the solubilizing capacity of microbubbles based on SonoVue®, and phospholipids SonoVue® is made of, by using the UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The concentrations of solubilized substances within these systems was further determined. In particular, the properties of natrium dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerole and distearoyl¬phosphatidylcholine were investigated. The microbubbles were produced using these phospholipids with the addition of polyethyleneglycol and palmitic acid. The solubilizing capacity was determined using hydrophobic solutes Sudan Red G, Oil Red O, 4-Di-2-Asp and Nile Red in order to obtain a model system of solubilized drugs or other hydrophobic substances. The behavior of solutes in phospholipids and our prepared microbubbles were examined in a moderately polar medium â physiological saline solution (0.15 M NaCl). The vizualization of prepared microbubbles was performed using optical and fluorescence microscopy. 4-Di-2-Asp, as a fluorescence probe, was not suitable for microbubble vizualization. The size of microbubbles that were produced during the experiment was almost the same as the size of microbubbles of commercially made SonoVue®. The concentration of solubilized hydrophobic solutes inside the liposomes of phospholipids ranged from tens to hundreds of micromoles per liter. With increasing concentration of phospholipids the concentration of solubilized solutes also increased. The results of this experiment can be used for further research focused on the solubilization of drugs in microbubbles, and contrast agents which are used in ultrasonography.