Engineered nanoparticles for targeted delivery of the anticancer drug Bortezomib

A MSN-based device, FOL-MSN-BTZ, for pHsensitive release of the antineoplastic drug bortezomib in cancer cells over-expressing folate receptor (FR) has been developed. It consists of a nanometric honeycomb-like silica frame that presents folic acid (FOL) as targeting function (folate receptor specific ligand) on the external surface and the antineoplastic drug bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor highly active for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), linked within the pores by means of a pH-sensitive bond. Once the nanosystem FOL-MSN-BTZ enters the tumour cells, it releases the free drug in response to the slightly acidic tumor microenvironment.