We have established a platform technology for PEGylated nanoparticles based on dendritic polyglycerol. The design of this multifunctional approach allowed to fine-tune the drug-polymer conjugates with respect to drug loading and molecular weight and to prepare macromolecular prodrugs with similar surface charge and diameter, with different drugs and drug loading ratios as well as combination therapeutics that enable the release of at least two drugs. Furthermore, the multifunctional drug delivery system can easily be adapted to incorporate targeting ligands and diagnostic probes.

Selected Publications

• In vivo comparative study of distinct polymeric architectures bearing a combination of paclitaxel and doxorubicin at a synergistic ratio. H. Baabur-Cohen,§ L. Vossen,§ H.R. Krüger, A. Eldarboock, E. Yeini, N. Landa-Rouben, G. Tiram, S. Wedepohl, E. Markovsky, J. Leor, M. Calderón*, R. Satchi-Fainaro*. Journal of Controlled Release (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.06.037.
• Bispecific Antibodies for Targeted Delivery of Dendritic Polyglycerol (dPG) Prodrug Conjugates. F. Sheikhi-Mehrabadi, J. Adelmann, S. Gupta,S. Wedepohl, M. Calderón, U. Brinkmann, Rainer Haag. Current Cancer Drug Targets (2016), 16, 639-649.
• Dendritic Polyglycerol Sulfate as a Novel Platform for Paclitaxel Delivery: Pitfalls of Ester Linkage. A. Sousa-Herves, P. Würfel, N. Wegner, J. Khandare, K. Licha, R. Haag, P. Welker*, and M. Calderón*. Nanoscale (2015), 7, 3923-3932.
  
• Receptor mediated cellular uptake of low molecular weight dendritic polyglycerols. M. Calderón*, S. Reichert, P. Welker, K. Licha, F. Kratz, R. Haag. Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology (2014), 10, 92-99.
• Targeted delivery of dendritic polyglycerol-doxorubicin conjugates by scFv-SNAP fusion protein suppresses EGFR+ cancer cell growth. A. Hussain, H.R. Krüger, F. Kampmeier, T. Weissbach, K. Licha, F. Kratz, R. Haag, M. Calderón*, S. Barth*. Biomacromolecules (2013), 14, 2510–2520.
• Multifunctional Dendritic Polymers in Nanomedicine: Opportunities and Challenges. J. Khandare^§, M. Calderón^§, N. Dagia, R. Haag, Chemical Society Reviews 41 (2012), 2824-2848.
• Development of efficient acid cleavable multifunctional prodrugs derived from dendritic polyglycerol with poly(ethylene glycol) shell. M. Calderón, P. Welker, K. Licha, I. Fitchner, R. Graeser, R. Haag, F. Kratz, Journal of Controlled Release151 (2011), 295–301.
• Dendritic polymers in Oncology: Facts, features, and applications. M. A. Quadir, M. Calderón, R. Haag, Book chapter in ‘Drug Delivery in Oncology: From Basic Research to Cancer Therapy’ –Wiley (2011), 513-551.
• Size-dependant cellular uptake of dendritic polyglycerol. S. Reichert, M. Calderón, J. Khandare, P. Welker, D. Mangoldt, K. Licha, R.K. Kainthan, D.E. Brooks, and R. Haag, Small 7 (2011), 820-829.
• Functional dendritic polymer architectures as stimuli-responsive nanocarriers. M. Calderón, M. Quadir, M. Strumia, R. Haag, Biochimie, 92 (2010), 1242-1251.
• Dendritic polyglycerol for biomedical applications. M. Calderón, M. Quadir, S. Sharma, R. Haag, Advanced Materials 22 (2010), 190-218.
• Development of enzymatically cleavable prodrugs derivated from dendritic polyglycerol. M. Calderón, R. Graeser, F. Kratz, R. Haag, Bio-organic and Medical Letters 19 (2009), 3725-3728.