Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Long-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can mitigate challenges of adhering to daily or on-demand regimens of antiretrovirals (ARVs). We are developing a subcutaneous implant comprising polycaprolactone (PCL) for sustained delivery of ARVs for PrEP. Here we use tenofovir alafenamide (TA...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/12/6529 |
| _version_ | 1797529716604796928 |
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| author | Linying Li Christine Areson Ariane van der Straten Leah M. Johnson |
| author_facet | Linying Li Christine Areson Ariane van der Straten Leah M. Johnson |
| author_sort | Linying Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Long-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can mitigate challenges of adhering to daily or on-demand regimens of antiretrovirals (ARVs). We are developing a subcutaneous implant comprising polycaprolactone (PCL) for sustained delivery of ARVs for PrEP. Here we use tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) as a model drug. Previously, we demonstrated that the release rates of drugs are controlled by the implant surface area and wall thickness, and the molecular weight (MW) of PCL. Here, we further advance the implant design and tailor the release rates of TAF and the mechanical integrity of the implant through unique polymer blend formulations. In vitro release of TAF from the implant exhibited zero-order release kinetics for ~120 days. TAF release rates were readily controlled via the MW of the polymer blend, with PCL formulations of higher MW releasing the drug faster than implants with lower MW PCL. Use of polymer MW to tune drug release rates is partly explained by PCL crystallinity, as higher PCL crystalline material is often associated with a slower release rate. Moreover, results showed the ability to tailor mechanical properties via PCL blends. Blending PCL offers an effective approach for tuning the ARV release rates, implant duration, and integrity, and ultimately the biodegradation profiles of the implant. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:17:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9ec998fd2a24428a8e96cd1a972c9cef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:17:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9ec998fd2a24428a8e96cd1a972c9cef2023-11-22T00:41:55ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-06-012212652910.3390/ijms22126529Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)Linying Li0Christine Areson1Ariane van der Straten2Leah M. Johnson3Engineered Systems RTI International, Durham, NC 27709, USAEngineered Systems RTI International, Durham, NC 27709, USACenter for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94104, USAEngineered Systems RTI International, Durham, NC 27709, USALong-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can mitigate challenges of adhering to daily or on-demand regimens of antiretrovirals (ARVs). We are developing a subcutaneous implant comprising polycaprolactone (PCL) for sustained delivery of ARVs for PrEP. Here we use tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) as a model drug. Previously, we demonstrated that the release rates of drugs are controlled by the implant surface area and wall thickness, and the molecular weight (MW) of PCL. Here, we further advance the implant design and tailor the release rates of TAF and the mechanical integrity of the implant through unique polymer blend formulations. In vitro release of TAF from the implant exhibited zero-order release kinetics for ~120 days. TAF release rates were readily controlled via the MW of the polymer blend, with PCL formulations of higher MW releasing the drug faster than implants with lower MW PCL. Use of polymer MW to tune drug release rates is partly explained by PCL crystallinity, as higher PCL crystalline material is often associated with a slower release rate. Moreover, results showed the ability to tailor mechanical properties via PCL blends. Blending PCL offers an effective approach for tuning the ARV release rates, implant duration, and integrity, and ultimately the biodegradation profiles of the implant.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/12/6529poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)biodegradable polymerpolymer blendsHIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)tenofovir alafenamidesubcutaneous implant |
| spellingShingle | Linying Li Christine Areson Ariane van der Straten Leah M. Johnson Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) International Journal of Molecular Sciences poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) biodegradable polymer polymer blends HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) tenofovir alafenamide subcutaneous implant |
| title | Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) |
| title_full | Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) |
| title_short | Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) |
| title_sort | effects of polymer blending on the performance of a subcutaneous biodegradable implant for hiv pre exposure prophylaxis prep |
| topic | poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) biodegradable polymer polymer blends HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) tenofovir alafenamide subcutaneous implant |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/12/6529 |
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