Polymers for the controlled release of macromolecules: effect of molecular weight of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer

Matrices composed of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAc) have been used for controlled delivery of macromolecular bioactive agents. Three EVAc samples of different molecular weight (MW) were selected from solution fractionated samples. The polymer MW is a sensitive factor in affecting the release rate of bovine serum albumin (BSA); the higher the MW of EVAc, the slower the release rate. Depending on the degree of hydrophilicity of the device, the relatively hydrophilic drug particles would cause various degrees of swelling pressure upon water uptake. The relatively hydrophobic EVAc carrier would impose different degrees of restrictive force as determined by polymer MW. The interaction between the restrictive force of the carrier and the swelling pressure of the drug particles is a key factor in affecting the drug release kinetics. As a result, the selection of the polymer carrier can be used to affect the kinetics of a controlled release device.