In this work, a novel biodegradable amphiphilic copolymer based on dextran and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) was successfully prepared. The amphiphilic copolymer may self-assemble into polymeric micelles in an aqueous solution. Fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) method confirmed the formation of copolymeric micelles. To estimate the feasibility as novel drug carriers, doxorubicin (DOX) was incorporated into polymeric nanoparticles. The DOX-loaded nanoparticles exhibited greater antitumor effect than free DOX for HeLa celles, suggesting that the dextran/DPPE nanoparticles have great potential as a tumor targeting drug carrier. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 2448-2458, 2011