Table 1.

Recent applications of synthetic polymers in prodrug delivery.

Polymer	Application	(co)Polymer	Prodrug	Linker(bond)	Ref.
PEG	Gene delivery	Polyethylenimine(PEI)-PEG	cDNA of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSVtk) and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)	N.D.	[21]
	Tumor targeting	octreotide(Phe)-PEG	Paclitaxel		[22]
	Improved stability and intracellular drug release	methoxy PEG-b-(poly(2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate-co-aminopropyl methacrylamide) (PEDPA)	Cis-aconityl-doxorubicin		[23]
	Tumor targeting	PEG	Fusion toxin consisting of the anti-EpCAM DARPin Ec1 and a domain I-deleted variant of ETA (ETA″)	rhinovirus 3C model protease—cleavage linker	[24]
	Drug delivery	3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid functionalized PEG-b-poly(l-lysine) (mPEG-b-P(LL-DTPA))	Paclitaxel	Disulfide	[25]
	Multidrug resistance	D-α-tocopherol PEG succinate (TPGS)	Paclitaxel	Disulfide	[26]
	Improved the therapeutic efficacy	β-CD, PEG	Doxorubicin	hydrazone	[27]
	Tumor targeting	PEG	Paclitaxel		[28]
	Multidrug resistance	PEG-poly(d,l-lactide)	4-(N)-stearoyl Gemcitabine		[29]
	Theranosis	PEG-polylactic acid (PEG-PLA) l	Dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran-S-CPT	Disulfide	[30]
	Tumor targeting	PEG monomethyl ether (mPEG)	Artesunate	Ester	[31]
	Tumor targeting	PEG monomethyl ether	Camptothecin	Disulfide	[32]
	Tumor targeting	PEG	Camptothecin	Disulfide	[33]
	Tumor targeting	PEG2000	Paclitaxel	MMP2-cleavable linker	[34]
	Nanogel	PLGA-PEG-PLGA	PEGylated Taxol		[35]
	Drug delivery	mPEG-b-P(ATMC-co-DTC)	Doxorubicin	Hydrazone	[36]
HPMA	improving anticancer therapy	(mPEG5000-b-p(HPMAmLac2-r-AzEMA)	Doxorubicin-glucuronide prodrug (DOX-propGA3)	Glucuronide (β-glucuronidase cleavable linker)	[37]
	Prevent metastasis	HPMA copolymer	E-selectin binding peptide (Esbp)-doxorubicinor (KLAKLAK)2		[38]
	Drug delivery	HPMA copolymer	H1-S6A, F8A peptide	GFLG (Cathepsin cleavage linker)	[39]
	Tumor targeting	HPMA copolymer	Doxorubicin	GFLG and MMP cleavable linker	[40]
	Improved the therapeutic efficacy	HPMA copolymer	Doxorubicin, 5-FU	Hydrazone, GFLG	[41]
	Theranosis	Star polymer: poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and HPMA	Doxorubicin or TAMRA fluorescent dye	Hydrazone	[42]
	Improved Bioavailability	Star polymer: poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and HPMA	Pirarubicin	Hydrazone	[43,44]
	Drug delivery	HPMA copolymer	Iodine-125	Hydrazone	[45]
	Drug delivery	HPMA copolymer	Paclitaxel, Gemcitabine	GFLG	[46]
	Drug delivery	Starch + HPMA copolymer	Camptothecin		[47]
	Gene delivery	galactosylated 2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide-s-3-guanidinopropyl methacrylamide (HPMAs–GPMA)	shRNA		[48]
	Drug delivery	HPMA	Indium-111, Yttrium-90		[49]
	Improved the therapeutic efficacy	multiblock poly HPMA	Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel and Doxorubicin	GFLG	[50]
	Theranosis	HPMA copolymer	Zinc protoporphyrin		[16,51]
SMA	Photodynamic therapy	SMA	Zinc protoporphyrin	Amide	[52]
PLGA	Improved Bioavailability	PLGA	Gemcitabine	Amide	[53]
PGG	Improved Bioavailability	PGG	Paclitaxel	Glutamic acid	[54,55]