Stable Liposome–Hydrogel composites as multistage drug delivery systems

This study discusses the development of multistage drug delivery systems made up of poloxamer 407 hydrogel and liposomal carriers, with a specific focus on the physico-chemical stability and rheological features of the obtained formulations. Various liposomes, characterized by different lipid compositions and Zeta potential were incorporated into the copolymeric matrix and characterized through Turbiscan® analysis. Results demonstrated that specific surface architecture significantly influenced the formulation stability while no effects have been exerted on the thermosensitive behavior of hydrogels. Rheological analyses further confirmed that the inclusion of liposomes did not compromise the sol-gel transition properties of the system. In vitro release studies demonstrated the ability of multistage systems to promote a sustained release of entrapped molecules over time. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of stable P407–liposome composite systems for localized, long-acting drug delivery and emphasize the critical role of lipid composition in designing robust nanocarrier-based platforms.