Development of branched polyphenolic poly(beta amino esters) to facilitate post-synthesis processing

Area of Science:

• Polymer chemistry
• Materials science
• Drug delivery systems

Background:

• Polymers offer versatile platforms for controlled therapeutic agent release.
• Polymeric prodrugs covalently link active pharmaceutical ingredients to polymers, enhancing stability and pharmacology.
• Poly(beta amino esters) (PβAEs) are a class of polymeric prodrugs, but their crosslinked nature limits processability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize soluble antioxidant-PβAE polymer prodrugs for enhanced processability and manufacturability.
• To demonstrate that polymer processing can tune drug release profiles beyond hydrophobicity.
• To create novel polymer-based drug delivery systems with improved control over drug release.

Main Methods:

• Curcumin PβAEs were synthesized to be soluble in organic solvents.
• Curcumin PβAEs were processed into nanoparticles and thin films to demonstrate utility.
• Nanoparticle size and film thickness were controlled by adjusting dope solution concentration and withdrawal speed.
• Inkjet printing was used to demonstrate layering of polymeric films.

Main Results:

• Soluble curcumin PβAEs were successfully synthesized, retaining release and activity properties.
• Polymer processing significantly impacted curcumin release profiles, influenced by surface area and porosity.
• Control over nanoparticle size and film thickness was achieved through processing parameters.
• Layering of polymeric films was successfully demonstrated via inkjet printing.

Conclusions:

• Polymer processing offers a novel method for tuning drug degradation and release, in addition to hydrophobicity.
• The developed curcumin PβAEs demonstrate enhanced processability for applications in drug delivery.
• This work expands the utility and manufacturability of PβAE-based polymeric prodrugs.