The present invention is in the field of
drug delivery, and specifically,
cationic liposome-based
drug delivery. In embodiments, this invention provides methods of making ligand-targeted (e.g.,
antibody- or
antibody fragment-targeted) liposomes useful for the delivery of liposomes to tumors, including brain tumors. In embodiments, the liposomes deliver
temozolomide across the blood-brain barrier for treatment of primary or metastatic brain tumors. Additional cancers that can be treated with the liposomes include
neuroendocrine tumors,
melanoma,
prostate,
head and neck, ovarian,
lung, liver,
kidney, breast, urogenital, gastric, colorectal, cervical, vaginal, angiosarcoma, liposarcoma,
rhabdomyosarcoma, choriocarcinoma, pancreatic,
retinoblastoma and other types of
cancer. In another embodiment the liposomes deliver
melphalan for the treatment of
multiple myeloma, other tumors of the blood or other
solid tumors. In still other embodiments the liposomes can deliver other drugs such as
pemetrexed or
irinotecan for treatment of
cancer or drugs including
atropine for treatment of
organophosphate poisoning.