ABSTRACT

Polyanhydrides have been investigated in drug delivery research since the early 1980s. Gliadel®, a polyanhydride-based delivery system, is currently FDA approved for delivery of BCNU in the treatment of brain cancer. However, compared to some of the biodegradable polyesters, polyanhydrides are not being widely used in current drug delivery applications. Polyanhydrides can exhibit rapid degradation rates due to the extremely reactive nature of the anhydride bond. They also require special storage conditions at low temperatures. Moreover, polyanhydrides cannot be purchased commercially and require custom synthesis, thereby limiting accessibility. However, the distinct physicochemical properties of polyanhydrides, such as surface erosion, rapid degradation, and bioadhesion, make them particularly attractive for certain applications.