Sustained delivery of anti-VEGF from injectable hydrogel systems provides a prolonged decrease of endothelial cell...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Immunology

Background:

• Therapeutic antibodies offer targeted treatment for diseases by binding specific antigens.
• Bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF antibody, is promising for cancers and macular degeneration, conditions linked to aberrant angiogenesis.
• Local, sustained antibody delivery can enhance efficacy, reduce dosing frequency, and minimize systemic side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate an alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) for controlled, 30-day local delivery of therapeutic antibodies.
• To investigate the release kinetics of different antibodies from the PEC system.
• To assess the in vitro efficacy of released anti-VEGF antibodies in inhibiting angiogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) as a carrier for antibodies.
• Encapsulation and evaluation of 30-day release profiles for non-specific IgG and anti-VEGF antibodies.
• In vitro assessment of the biological activity of released anti-VEGF antibodies on VEGF-induced proliferation and angiogenesis.

Main Results:

• The alginate-chitosan PEC system demonstrated sustained release of antibodies over a 30-day period.
• Release rates were antibody-specific, with anti-VEGF showing slower release compared to IgG, attributed to PEC-antibody charge interactions.
• Released anti-VEGF antibodies effectively inhibited VEGF-induced proliferation and angiogenesis in vitro.

Conclusions:

• Alginate-chitosan PECs are a viable system for sustained, localized delivery of therapeutic antibodies.
• The system offers potential for improved treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases by providing prolonged therapeutic antibody levels at the target site.
• Antibody-specific release characteristics from PECs can be leveraged for tailored drug delivery strategies.