NOAEL cancer therapy: a tumor targetable docetaxel–inorganic polymer nanohybrid prevents drug-induced neutropenia

Abstract

To date, cancer therapies largely consist of five pillars: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Still, researchers are trying to innovate the current cancer therapies to pursue an ideal one without side effects. For developing such a therapy, we designed a chemically well-defined route to a PEG- and docetaxel (DTX)-conjugated inorganic polymer, polyphosphazene, named “polytaxel (PTX)” with a prolonged blood circulation time and tumor localization. Here, we conducted the proof-of-concept study of the ideal therapy in orthotopic and xenograft pancreatic cancer models. We found that the average tumor inhibition rates of PTX were similar to those of DTX without any DTX toxicity-related side effects, such as neutropenia and weight loss. In conclusion, PTX met the requirements of an ideal anticancer drug with high anticancer efficacy and 100% survival rate. PTX is expected to replace any existing anticancer therapies in clinical practice.