ELP-doxorubicin

ELP-doxorubicin (ELP-Dox) is a thermally responsive macromolecular drug delivery system consisting of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) conjugated to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. Developed primarily by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its spinout Thermally Targeted Therapeutics, the conjugate is designed to exploit the unique phase-transition properties of ELPs. Below their transition temperature, ELP-doxorubicin conjugates remain soluble in circulation, but they aggregate and accumulate in solid tumors when mild, localized hyperthermia is applied. The conjugate often incorporates a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) to facilitate cellular internalization and a stimuli-responsive linker (such as an acid-sensitive hydrazone or enzymatically cleavable peptide) to trigger the intracellular release of doxorubicin, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy and reducing systemic cardiotoxicity.

Other names

CPP-ELP-Doxelastin-like polypeptide-doxorubicin conjugateELP-DoxELP-doxorubicin conjugateTat-ELP-GFLG-Dox