Method of Treating a Tumor and Biodistribution of a Drug Delivered by Worm-Like Filomicelles

A stable, purely synthetic, self-assembling, controlled release, polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based block copolymer, filomicelle nanocarrier system for bio-selectively delivering a cytotoxic, anticancer therapeutic active agent to a cell, the system comprising:

• filomicelles having a semi-permeable, thin-walled, amphiphilic, high molecular weight PEO-based block copolymer encapsulating membrane comprising a copolymer having a hydrophilic PEO component and at least one hydrolytically degradable, hydrophobic block component to effect controlled polyester chain hydrolysis in the membrane, such that when the at least one hydrophobic block component is combined with the hydrophilic PEO component, the PEO volume fraction (fEO) and chain chemistry control encapsulant release kinetics from the filomicelle by membrane destabilization;
• and
• a cytotoxic therapeutic active agent encapsulated therein to form at least one encapsulant;
• wherein the PEO-based filomicelle membrane has a desired controlled release rate for bioselectively releasing the at least one encapsulant.