Nanosuspension for the delivery of a poorly soluble anti-cancer kinase inhibitor

•We evaluate the anti-cancer multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, MTKi-327.•Various nanomedicines have been compared for the delivery of MTKi-321.•Nanosuspension is the most effective anti-cancer MTKi-327 delivery system.•MTKi-327 nanosuspension enhances the administered dose and the MTD.•MTKi-327 was evaluated in vivo: anti-tumor efficacy and pharmacokinetic studies.

We hypothesized that nanosuspensions could be promising for the delivery of the poorly water soluble anti-cancer multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, MTKi-327. Hence, the aims of this work were (i) to evaluate the MTKi-327 nanosuspension for parenteral and oral administrations and (ii) to compare this nanosuspension with other nanocarriers in terms of anti-cancer efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Therefore, four formulations of MTKi-327 were studied: (i) PEGylated PLGA-based nanoparticles, (ii) self-assembling PEG750-p-(CL-co-TMC) polymeric micelles, (iii) nanosuspensions of MTKi-327; and (iv) Captisol solution (pH = 3.5). All the nano-formulations presented a size below 200 nm. Injections of the highest possible dose of the three nano-formulations did not induce any side effects in mice. In contrast, the maximum tolerated dose of the control Captisol solution was 20-fold lower than its highest possible dose. The highest regrowth delay of A-431-tumor-bearing nude mice was obtained with MTKi-327 nanosuspension, administered intravenously, at a dose of 650 mg/kg. After intravenous and oral administration, the AUC0–∞ of MTKi-327 nanosuspension was 2.4-fold greater than that of the Captisol solution. Nanosuspension may be considered as an effective anti-cancer MTKi-327 delivery method due to (i) the higher MTKi-327 maximum tolerated dose, (ii) the possible intravenous injection of MTKi-327, (iii) its ability to enhance the administered dose and (iv) its higher efficacy.

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