Polyketals: A new biodegradable polymer for drug delivery

PMSE 105

Niren Murthy, niren.murthy@bme.gatech.edu1, Michael Heffernan1, Stephen Yang1, Bali Pulendran2, and Robert Pierce3. (1) Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0535, (2) Department of Pathology, Emory University, (3) Department of Pathology, University of Rochester
In this presentation, we present a new family of biodegradable polymers for drug delivery, termed the polyketals. The polyketals are hydrophobic polymers that contain biodegradable ketal linkages in their backbone. The polyketals are synthesized by a new polymerization strategy based on the acetal exchange reaction. Nanoparticles have been formulated with the polyketals, which encapsulate hydrophobic drugs as well as proteins. The polyketals undergo acid-catalyzed hydrolysis into low molecular weight hydrophilic compounds and should therefore release encapsulated therapeutics at an accelerated rate in acidic environments. Importantly, the polyketals do not generate acidic degradation products after hydrolysis, as with polyester-based biomaterials. This new delivery system should find numerous applications in the field of drug delivery because of its ease of synthesis and excellent degradation properties.
 

Polymers, Nanoparticles and Composite Materials in Nanoscience
1:30 PM-4:50 PM, Monday, 27 March 2006 OMNI at CNN Center -- Intl. Blrm D, Oral

Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering

The 231st ACS National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March 26-30, 2006