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Abstract
<p class="first" id="P2">Nanocarriers are versatile vehicles for drug delivery, and
emerging as platforms to
formulate and deliver multiple classes of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in a single system.
Here we describe the fabrication of hydrogel-core and lipid-shell nanoparticles (nanolipogels)
for the controlled loading and topical, vaginal delivery of maraviroc (MVC) and tenofovir
disoproxil fumarate (TDF), two ARV drugs with different mechanisms of action that
are used in the treatment of HIV. The nanolipogel platform was used to successfully
formulate MVC and TDF, which produced ARV drug-loaded nanolipogels that were characterized
for their physical properties and antiviral activity against HIV-1 BaL in cell culture.
We also show that administration of these drug carriers topically to the vaginal mucosa
in a murine model leads to antiviral activity against HIV-1 BaL in cervicovaginal
lavages. Our results suggest that nanolipogel carriers are promising for the encapsulation
and delivery of hydrophilic small molecule ARV drugs, and may expand the nanocarrier
systems being investigated for HIV prevention or treatment.
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