Nanoemulsion compositions of taxoid drugs, and methods for the use thereof to target cancer cells and cancer stem cells

A method of treating cancer, including the steps of:

• administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an oil-in-water NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids, to a subject in need of treatment;
• and treating cancer chosen from the group consisting of colon, pancreatic, non-small cell lung, and prostate.

A method of overcoming multi-drug resistance, including the steps of:

• exposing a multi-drug resistant cell selected from the group consisting of colon cancer cells and prostate cancer cells to an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an oil-in-water NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids;
• and inducing the death of the multi-drug resistant cell.

A method of eliminating a cancer stem cell, including the steps of:

• exposing a cancer stem cell selected from the group consisting of colon cancer stem cells and prostate cancer stem cells to an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an oil-in-water NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids;
• and inducing the death of the cancer stem cell.

A method of reducing the stemness of a cancer stem cell, including the steps of:

• exposing a cancer stem cell selected from the group consisting of colon cancer stem cells and prostate cancer stem cells to an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an oil-in-water NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids;
• and reducing the expression of stemness-promoting genes in the cancer stem cell.

A method of increasing retention times of an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate in the body of a subject, including the steps of:

• administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids;
• and retaining the pharmaceutical composition in the body for a longer period of time than a solution form of the pharmaceutical composition.

A method of providing a slower release profile of an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate in the body of a subject, including the steps of:

• administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-taxoid conjugate encapsulated in an NE drug delivery system, wherein the oil comprises one or more omega fatty acids;
• and releasing the pharmaceutical composition in the body at least three times slower than a solution form of the pharmaceutical composition.