New cyclodextrin-based nanocarriers for drug delivery and phototherapy using an irinotecan metabolite

SN38 is an active metabolite of irinotecan, which was approved for clinical use in metastatic colorectal cancers. However, poor aqueous solubility and inactivation at pH below 6 are the main limitations of its use. In the current study, we separately conjugated α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins to graphene oxide sheets to produce stable, biocompatible nanocarriers for SN38 delivery. The conjugates were coordinated with Fe3O4 in the form of...