Applications of PEG Products for Hydrogels, PEGylation, Drug Delivery, and Crosslinking

PEGs have been shown to provide improved water solubility and biocompatibility in drugs and other applications, and the ability to attach a variety of reactive functional groups to the terminal positions of these polymers has greatly increased their utility.JenKemTechnologyPEGApplications

Homo- or hetero-bifunctional PEGs are especially useful as cross-linking agents or spacers between two chemical entities, whereas mono-functional PEGs prevent bridging reactions which can affect the PEGylation of certain compounds. Branched PEG derivatives consist of linear methoxy PEG chains attached to a central core. JenKem proprietary Y-shape PEGs are more selective, due to their sterically bulky structure. Multi-arm PEG derivatives, prepared by ethoxylation of different cores such as pentaerythritol, hexaglycerol, or tripentaerythritol, can be cross-linked in a variety of ways into hydrogels.

Bi-functional PEG derivatives with different terminal functional groups are widely used in the PEGylation of peptides, proteins, small molecules, like folate, mannose, pro-drugs or oligonucleotides, cells, nanoparticles and virus particles, or surfaces, and require extensive characterization with complex analytical techniques. Multi-arm PEG derivatives are largely employed in the formation of hydrogels. PEG hydrogels are used extensively in the controlled release of therapeutics, in medical devices, and regenerative medicine, and in various other applications, including wound sealing and healing, 3D printing of biosimilar materials, or as cartilage replacement.

Above and the following are excerpts from the invited review published in collaboration with Clarkson University, highlighting several applications of JenKem Technology’s PEGs in the fields of:

Table 1: Select PEG compounds and their applications
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Compound PEG Applications Reference
Methoxy PEG Derivatives
Methoxy PEG Amine Diagnostics, Drug delivery, Nanoparticle PEGylation, Peptide PEGylation, Hydrogels, Surface modification [20], [29], [30], [33], [54], [57], [61], [62], [64], [65]
Methoxy PEG Carboxyl Drug delivery [32], [63]
Methoxy PEG Maleimide Drug delivery [22]
Methoxy PEG Propionaldehyde Drug delivery [62]
Methoxy PEG Succinimidyl Carboxymethyl Ester Drug delivery, Peptide PEGylation [27], [35], [59], [60]
Methoxy PEG Succinimidyl Carbonate Drug delivery [22]
Methoxy PEG Thiol Drug delivery [59]
Heterobifunctional PEG Derivatives
Acrylate PEG NHS Ester Hydrogels [42], [48]
Amine PEG Carboxyl Drug delivery, Diagnostics, Nanoparticle PEGylation [3], [64]
Biotin PEG SGA Ester Cell PEGylation [26]
Biotin PEG NHS Ester Peptide PEGylation [35]
Maleimide PEG Amine Drug delivery [2]
Maleimide PEG Hydroxyl Drug delivery [58]
Maleimide PEG NHS Drug delivery [21], [59], [60]
Thiol PEG Carboxyl Protein and Nanoparticle PEGylation [23]
Thiol PEG Amine Nanoparticle PEGylation [28]
t-Boc Amine PEG Amine Drug delivery, Diagnostics [3]
Multiarm PEG Derivatives
4arm PEG Succinimidyl Carboxymethyl Ester Drug delivery, Hydrogel [24], [55]
4arm PEG Thiol Hydrogels [41]
4arm PEG Amine Hydrogels [14], [50], [53]
6arm PEG Amine Nanoparticle PEGylation [29]
8arm PEG Amine (tripentaerythritol), HCl Salt Hydrogels [39], [47]
8arm PEG Thiol (hexaglycerol) Hydrogels [44]
PEG Raw Materials
Methoxy Polyethylene Glycol Nanoparticle PEGylation, Drug delivery [30]
4arm Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels [14], [40], [41], [43], [45], [46], [50], [56]
8arm Polyethylene Glycol (tripentaerythritol) Peptide PEGylation [19]
8arm Polyethylene Glycol (hexaglycerol) Hydrogels [38], [44], [49], [53]
Biodegradable PEG Co-Polymers
PLL20k-G35-PEG2k Surface modification [34], [36], [37]

Reference: Hutanu D, Frishberg MD, Guo L, Darie CC (2014) Recent Applications of Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs) and PEG Derivatives. Mod Chem appl 2: 132. doi:10.4172/2329-6798.1000132

Several applications of Y-Shape PEGs highlighted by JenKem Technology in “Applications of Y-Shape PEG Derivatives for Drug Delivery”, Material Matters, 2016, V. 11, nr. 3, are summarized below. Please visit our website for more details.

Table 2: Additional applications of Y-Shape PEGs for PEGylation
Y-shape PEGs for Drug Delivery and Diagnostics Drug Molecule or Other Entity PEGylated with Y-shape PEG References
Y-shape PEG Amine Paclitaxel [11]
Y-shape PEG Maleimide siRNA [4]
Cocaine esterase [14], [6]
Y-shape PEG NHS Calcium phosphate nanoparticles [15]
Cp40 [16]
DNA aptamer (SOMAmer) [2]
G-CSF [17]
Gentamicin [18]
IFN-α2a [19]
IFN-α2b [20]
LIF receptor antagonist (LA) [21]
L-RNA (Spiegelmer) [13]
L-RNA (Spiegelmer) [22], [23]
rhGH [24]
TNF-α [25], [26]
Y-shape PEG Propionaldehyde Laccase [10]
Ubiquitin-derived 77405 protein [7]

 

Founded in 2001 by experts in PEG synthesis and PEGylation, JenKem Technology specializes exclusively in the development and manufacturing of high quality polyethylene glycol (PEG) products and derivatives, and related custom synthesis and PEGylation services. JenKem Technology is ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified, and adheres to ICH Q7 guidelines for GMP manufacture. The production of JenKem® PEGs is back-integrated to in-house polymerization from ethylene oxide, enabling facile traceability for regulated customers. JenKem Technology caters to the PEGylation needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostics, and emerging chemical specialty markets, from laboratory scale through large commercial scale.