Pharmacokinetics of poly(hydroxyethyl-l-asparagine)-coated liposomes is superior over that of PEG-coated liposomes at low lipid dose and upon repeated administration

‘Stealth’ liposomes with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating are frequently studied for drug delivery and diagnostic purposes because of their prolonged blood circulation kinetics. However, several recent reports have demonstrated that PEG-liposomes are rapidly cleared at single low lipid doses (< 1 μmol/kg) and upon repeated administration (time interval between the injections 5 days–4 weeks). Recently, poly(amino acid)-based stealth liposome coatings have been developed as alternative to the PEG-coating. In this study, the pharmacokinetic behavior of liposomes coated with the poly(amino acid) poly(hydroxyethyl-l-asparagine) (PHEA) was evaluated at low lipid doses and upon repeated administration in rats. Blood circulation times and hepatosplenic localization of PHEA-liposomes were assessed after intravenous injection. When administered at a dose of 0.25 μmol/kg or less, PHEA-liposomes showed significantly longer blood circulation times than PEG-liposomes. A second dose of PHEA-liposomes 1 week after the first injection was less rapidly cleared from the circulation than a second dose of PEG-liposomes. Although the mechanisms behind these observations are still not clear yet, the use of PHEA-liposomes appears beneficial when single low lipid doses and/or repeated dosing schedules are being applied.