PLGA from PolySciTech used in delivery system for dexamethasone for treatment of vocal cord damage

 

Damage and scarring to the vocal cord tissue can come from diseases, such as local infections or cancer, as well as trauma due to intubation or neck/throat injuries. This leads to speech problems and other issues depending on severity. Researchers at University of Cincinatti used PLGA (AP063) from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) as part of a dexamethasone delivery system. This research holds promise to improve tissue repair options in the future. Read more: Zheng, Avery, Nour Awad, Denzel Ryan D. Cruz, Ruchika Pissay, Charles Farbos de Luzan, Gregory Dion, and Yoonjee Park. "Controlled-Release of Dexamethasone via Light-Activated Implant for Potential Vocal Fold Scar Treatment." ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (2025). https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c02231

This study investigates a novel light-activated implant system designed for injectable, dose-controlled, sustained drug delivery. The light-activated implant was developed by incorporating light-activated drug-releasing liposomes into a biodegradable polymeric capsule. The drug release kinetics from the implant at 0, 1, and 2 min of light activation were determined in vitro using a tissue mimic with varying depths. A pulsed near-infrared laser at 1064 nm, connected to an optical fiber, was used as the light source. The dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) release was tunable depending on the laser irradiation time, with an approximately 4% reduction in release as tissue depth increased by 2 mm. The implant was injected using a needle into ex vivo porcine vocal folds, and drug release kinetics were quantified by real-time fluorescence imaging. Mathematical models were also developed to understand diffusion mechanisms of the light-activated, controlled drug release profiles from the cylindrical implant. Finally, in vivo evaluations in a healthy rabbit vocal fold model confirmed comparable drug release through light activation. Histological assessments demonstrated the safety of the drug delivery system and the structural integrity of the implant within biological tissues after 6 weeks of implantation. These results support the potential clinical application of the drug delivery system, offering a promising solution for conditions requiring precise, controlled therapeutic delivery. Future work will focus on scaling the technology for clinical trials, including construct and tissue reactions in human tissue, to enhance treatment efficacy for various medical conditions.

PLGA (Cat# AP063): https://akinainc.com/polyscitech/products/polyvivo/index.php?highlight=AP063#h

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