Integration of an anti-tumor drug into nanocrystalline assemblies for sustained drug release.

Delicate mesoscopic architectures, bearing complex forms with multiple hierarchy levels, lead to significant functions in biogenic minerals. Herein, a bio-inspired approach was developed to fabricate comet-shaped assemblies of an anti-tumor drug - 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT). The anti-solvent co-precipitation of HCPT and the excipient - PEG--PLGA - within the emulsifier leads to the immediate nucleation of comet bundles, followed by a secondary nucleation to generate the comet head, which is an assembly of nanofibers aligned almost in parallel. The continuous manufacturing furnishes drug-excipient hybrid particles with high drug-loading and a sustained drug release profile. This simple and efficient bio-inspired approach led to a promising sustained local drug delivery system, and could be extended to the fabrication of other functional organic materials bearing mesoscopic structural units.