Photo-crosslinkable, thermo-sensitive and biodegradable pluronic hydrogels for sustained release of protein

Thermo-sensitive and biodegradable hydrogels based on Pluronic tri-block copolymers were prepared by a photo-polymerization method. Two terminal hydroxyl groups in Pluronic F-127 were acrylated to form a Pluronic macromer. Photo-cross-linked Pluronic hydrogels prepared by UV radiation showed a gradually decreased swelling ratio with increasing temperature and exhibited a thermally-responsive change in the swelling ratio when the temperature was cycled between 10 degrees C and 37 degrees C. These hydrogels degraded slowly due to the cleavage of ester linkage in the acrylated Pluronic terminal end. When lysozyme, a model protein drug, was loaded in the hydrogels, bi-phasic protein release profiles were attained: a burst-free and rapid controlled release profile was initially observed for a one week period and a much slower sustained release was followed thereafter. The release rates could be controlled by varying the amount of Pluronic macromer for photo-polymerization.