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Temperature Responsive Arginine-based Hydrogels as Biologics Carriers

Detailed Technology Description
Thermo-sensitive and biodegradable copolymeric hydrogels were derived from arginine based unsaturated poly(ester-amide) (Arg-UPEA) and other biocompatible precursors prepared by photo-polymerization.
Others

Patent Applications: PCT/US08/84934; 08 858 090.7

*Abstract

Cornell researchers developed novel thermo-sensitive and biodegradable copolymeric hydrogels derived from arginine based unsaturated poly(ester-amide) (Arg-UPEA) and other biocompatible precursors prepared by photo-polymerization. The photo crosslinked hydrogels exhibit slow degradation, a gradually decreased swelling ratio with increased temperature, and were shown to be thermally-responsive when the temperature was cycled over a wide range of temperatures.

Paclitaxel, a model anti-cancer drug, was pre-loaded in the hydrogels to attain the following bi-phasic molecule release profiles: 1) a burst-free and rapid controlled release profile was initially observed for a one week period and 2) a much slower sustained release was followed thereafter. The release rates can be controlled by varying the hybrid ratio of the two precursors during photo-polymerization.

Plasmid DNA was pre-loaded in the hydrogels for sustained delivery, and a wide range of release profiles was observed by varying one of the building blocks in Arg-UPEA. The overall release rate can be controlled by adjusting the photo crosslinking time and the hybrid ratio.

The novel hydrogels were also shown to provide for sustained cytokine (IL-12) delivery for cancer immunotherapy over almost three months.

   

Potential Applications

  • Biomaterials and biomedical engineering practices
    • drug or biologics delivery carriers
    • cytokine delivery (e.g., immunotherapy of cancer)
    • gene delivery carrier for gene therapy
    • tissue engineering scaffolds
    • biomedical devices (disposables or artificial organs, e.g., blood vessels)
    • contact lenses, muscle models, and artificial cartilage

  

Advantages

  • Good solubility in all polar solvents, including water
  • Fabricated from water-soluble macromer precursors to eliminate adverse organic solvent effect
  • Simple synthesis; no laborious protecing/deprotecting multi-steps of functioning group needed
  • Nontoxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable
  • Made from FDA-approved raw materials that are widely used in clinical practice
  • Allows delivery of bioactive cytokine(s) directly into tumor microenvironment
  • Avoids "encapsulation", a major factor responsible for loss of bioactivity in drug delivery
  • Allows design of a wide range of release kinetics
*Licensing
Martin Teschlmt439@cornell.edu(607) 254-4454
Country/Region
USA

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