Oral inhalation of dacomitinib nanocarriers as a therapeutic strategy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Development of an inhalable nanoformulation of dacomitinib (DMB) encapsulated in poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs) to improve solubility, facilitate direct lung delivery and overcome the systemic adverse effects. DMB-loaded poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) NPs were prepared using solvent evaporation and characterized for particle size, polydispersity index and zeta-potential. The NPs were evaluated for drug release, aerosolization performance and efficacy studies. The NPs showed excellent particle characteristics and displayed a cumulative release of ∼40% in 5 days. The NPs demonstrated a mass median aerodynamic diameter of ∼3 μm and fine particle fraction of ∼80%. Further, cell culture studies showed improved cytotoxic potential of DMB-loaded NPs compared with free drug. The study underscores the potential of DMB-loaded NPs as a viable approach for non-small cell lung cancer treatment.