Trehalose Hydrogels For Stabilization And Delivery Of Proteins

Summary

UCLA researchers in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a novel trehalose hydrogel to help stabilize proteins for drug delivery.

Background

Proteins are at the core of biologic drugs and are used to treat a range of disease states including arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. However, some of the major challenges with this class of drugs include their intravenous injection, inherent instability, and short half-life in the bloodstream. Hydrogels, defined as networks of crosslinked polymers, have been of great interest as a solution to these protein drug delivery issues. In addition, the natural sugar trehalose has been shown to be an exceptional stabilizer of proteins while preserving the activity of the enzymes. Thus, improved hydrogels may serve as a better scaffold for the stabilization and delivery of proteins.

Innovation

Researchers in the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a trehalose hydrogel that aids in the stabilization of proteins. The trehalose-based monomers and additional crosslinkers can be treated with proteins to produce a gel that will stabilize the protein and aid in its delivery. This technology utilizes a short procedure with biocompatible reagents and materials, making it suitable for biomedical applications.

Applications

• Storage and delivery of proteins
• Protein-based biological therapeutics

Advantages

• Simple to construct
• Effective in stabilizing proteins
• Biocompatible

State Of Development

The trehalose hydrogels have been synthesized and demonstrated to be effective in stabilizing proteins.

Patent Status