Topical application of liposomes containing Cetuximab: the effect of physical skin penetration enhancement techniques for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Among skin cancers, the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) helds the second position in frequency and is biologically more aggressive than the basocelular skin cancer. The topical chemotherapy of these tumors is a promising strategy for the reduction of the side effects associated to this kind of therapy. The cell pathway interruption using monoclonal antibodies, such as Cetuximab, is also a novel strategy for the inhibition of tumor growth. In this context, the present work aims at the use of Cetuximab for the treatment of SCC using for this purpose a topical drug delivery system based on liposomes. For this, we will use as a strategy to improve the penetration of the drug into the skin two physical methods, iontophoresis and sonophoresis. The systems will be developed containing encapsulated or covalently bond to Cetuximab and characterized for particle size, zeta potential, antibody integrity after conjugation and cytotoxicity for tumor cell line A431. Furthermore, the cutaneous and tumoral penetration will be assessed and the efficacy of the drug delivery systems developed will be investigated in vivo using an animal xenographic model for the disease using physical skin penetration enhancement techniques.