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Microgels Formed by Spontaneous Click Chemistries Utilizing Microfluidic Flow Focusing for Cargo Release in Response
Paige J LeValley1, Amanda L Parsons2, Bryan P Sutherland1
1Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Pharmaceutics
|May 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed novel degradable hydrogel microparticles (microgels) for controlled protein therapeutic delivery. These microgels offer tunable or on-demand drug release, enhancing localized treatment options for various diseases.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Protein therapeutics offer high target specificity but face challenges in localized, controlled delivery.
- Existing delivery methods lack tunable release profiles and on-demand capabilities for protein-based drugs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer degradable hydrogel microparticles (microgels) for localized, controlled delivery of protein therapeutics.
- To develop microgels with tunable release kinetics and triggered burst release mechanisms.
- To create versatile platforms for advanced therapeutic protein delivery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microfluidic flow-focusing to fabricate uniform hydrogel microparticles.
- Incorporated spontaneous click chemistries for stimuli-responsive degradation (redox and light).
- Loaded microgels with model biopolymers to assess cargo release profiles.
Main Results:
- Microgels demonstrated tunable, sustained release over weeks in response to redox stimuli.
- Light-responsive microgels enabled triggered, on-demand burst release of cargo.
- Microgel size was optimized for retention in tissues and needle injectability.
Conclusions:
- Microgels can be formulated with diverse chemistries to achieve varied therapeutic release modalities.
- This technology provides new tools for designing complex protein release profiles to optimize therapeutic regimens.
- The developed microgels represent a significant advancement in localized drug delivery systems.
