Janus-dendrimer supramolecular structures as delivery agents for small molecules, peptides and proteins

Janus-dendrimers are synthetic amphiphiles formed by linking two chemically distinct hydrophilic and hydrophobic dendrons by their core, which can self-assemble as vesicles (dendrimersomes) or fibres in aqueous solutions, as well as in biological media. This research shows that the dendrimersome scan differentially encapsulate drug compounds, are stable for long periods of time, and can be annealed from 22 °C to 70 °C with minimal change (2-5 nm)in their hydrodynamic radius [1].Also, by modulating the hydrophilic branch generation we found that Janus-dendrimers were also able to self-assemble into a variety of other architectures such as fibres, giving rise to supramolecular hydrogels capable of encapsulating and releasing small molecules, peptides, and proteins[2],or even function as colloidal suspensions’ stabilizers [3].Thus, the small library of Janus-dendrimers reported herein expand the scope of dendrimer-based supramolecular drug delivery systems and suggest that these materials can be further used in biomedical sol–gel applications.