Multimeric grain-marked micelles for highly efficient photodynamic therapy and magnetic resonance imaging of tumors.

Multimeric grain-marked micelles consisting of an inner core micelle (for Fe3O4 encapsulation) and outer multi-grain micelles (for chlorin e6 (Ce6, a model drug) encapsulation) were fabricated using a micelle-to-micelle conjugation method. Grain micelles (mono-thiol functionalized micelles) were chemically linked to the surface of the core micelle (multi-maleimide functionalized micelle). These micelles enable discrete compartments for Ce6 and iron oxide (Fe3O4) that enable a significantly increased in vivo photodynamic tumor inhibition while preserving high contrast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the tumor in vivo.