A method for the production of biodegradable nanoparticles with an average particle size of less than 400 nm. In a first step, a macromonomer is prepared in a ring opening polymerization process between a hydrophilic acrylate compound (A) as an initiator and hydrophobic cyclic monomers (B), wherein the macromonomer comprises at least two repetitive units based on the cyclic monomer. In a second step, this macromonomer or a mixture of macromonomers and/or commercial biocompatible monomers is polymerized, e.g. in a starved, miniemulsion or emulsion radical polymerization in water in the presence of a surfactant to the nanoparticle without necessitating additional subsequent steps for the actual production of the nanoparticles. The correspondingly made nanoparticles and uses thereof also are disclosed.
