PLGA from PolySciTech : Akina used in development of discoidal particles for treatment of blood-clots

 

Blood clots can form in vessels leading to thromboembolism which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Researchers at Yonsei University, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, and Korea University used PLGA (Cat# AP082) from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to develop disc-shaped particles loaded with Fucoidan drug to prevent clotting. This research holds promise to provide for treatment of blood-clotting related diseases. Read more: Choi, Wonseok, Hyeyoun Cho, Hwijin Jang, Hyewon Park, Inchan Youn, Sungmin Han, and Jaehong Key. "A Dual-Targeted Therapy with Fucoidan-Functionalized Thrombolytic Discoidal Microparticles for Pulmonary Thromboembolism." Drug Design, Development and Therapy (2025): 10281-10297. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2147/DDDT.S527596

“Pulmonary thromboembolism, a pathological condition characterized by the occlusion of pulmonary vasculature by free-circulating thrombus, constitutes the third leading cause of cardiovascular-related mortality. Among conventional therapeutic approaches to manage the disease, systemic intravenous thrombolysis is hindered by inherent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic limitations, including a short biological half-life, high requisite dosages, and an increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Given the critical need for prompt pulmonary reperfusion, this study introduces a dual-targeted therapeutic strategy employing fucoidan-functionalized, thrombolytic discoidal polymeric microparticles. This dual-targeted approach leverages the physicochemical properties of disc-shaped particles, which exhibit shape-dependent accumulation in the lungs, together with the biological binding affinity provided by the marine-derived component, fucoidan. A top-down lithographic fabrication technique was employed to synthesize discoidal microparticle systems for physicochemical targeting to the pulmonary vasculature, providing precise control over the system’s geometry and uniform drug encapsulation efficiency. Furthermore, a PLGA polymeric matrix was positively modified to incorporate fucoidan onto its matrix surface, which is a sulfated polysaccharide with high-affinity interactions for P-selectin expressed on activated platelets in the nanomolar range. In vitro and in vivo thrombolysis assays were conducted to assess the therapeutic efficacy of microparticles. The proposed discoidal systems coupled with the fucoidan showed rapid accumulation due to their shape and selective interaction with activated platelets. Approximately 50% of the injected microparticles exhibited preferential accumulation within 15 minutes post-injection, and a significant portion remained over assay times. The fucoidan functionalization enhanced the targeting potential, yielding a 4.65- and 1.48-fold increase under static and dynamic flow assays, respectively (all p<0.01). Although dramatic dissolution was not achieved using the proposed system in comparison with rtPA, alongside in vitro and in vivo investigations, the systems exhibited a more prolonged and dose-dependent lytic potential. The proposed systems may offer an alternative to conventional systemic thrombolysis coupled with adjunctive pharmacological interventions.”

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Fluorescent PLGA-Cyanine-5 from PolySciTech:Akina used in research on nanoparticle transportation in body.

 

Nanoparticles have the potential to carry many different types of drugs for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases however their behavior and localization after transport is not fully understood. Researchers at University of Pennsylvania and University of Deleware, used PLGA-CY5 (Cat# AV034) from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to develop a fluorescently labelled nanoparticle system for tracking transport of the particles in relation to cells and the body. This research holds promise to improve the use of nanoparticle drug delivery systems in the future. Read more: Sterin, Eric H., George C. Kramarenko, Chitran Roy Chowdhury, Sriram Pramod Tendulkar, Kejian Li, Timothy Chaya, Jenna Muscat-Rivera, Jilian R. Melamed, and Emily S. Day. "Exogenous CD55 Expression on Membrane-Wrapped Nanoparticles Unexpectedly Increases Spleen Tropism and Immune Cell Uptake In Vivo." ACS Nano Medicine (2025). https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnanomed.5c00059

“Intravenously delivered nanoparticle (NP) therapies have the potential to cure a variety of diseases; however, their clinical use has been stunted by undesirable levels of immune cell clearance. This clearance is attributed to protein adsorption onto the outside of the NPs, leading to recognition by immune cells and subsequent accumulation in the liver and spleen. Membrane-wrapped nanoparticles (MWNPs) offer a potential solution to reducing immune clearance by incorporating immune evasion/marker-of-self-proteins, although they too exhibit protein corona-mediated clearance. While various opsonin proteins can bind to MWNPs, complement proteins are particularly problematic as they play a crucial role in innate immunity, triggering immune cell recognition and clearance and causing inflammation. We hypothesized that introducing a complement regulatory protein into the membranes of MWNPs could minimize complement-mediated clearance, but the opposite effect was observed experimentally. In this study, before membrane collection, source cells were genetically modified to express the complement regulatory protein, CD55, which inhibits C3 convertases, key enzymes in the complement cascade. We confirmed that the active protein was transferred onto MWNPs and determined that CD55-modified MWNPs incubated in mouse serum significantly reduced C3 convertase concentration by 33% compared to unmodified MWNPs. Unexpectedly, in vivo analysis of biodistribution and immune cell uptake showed that CD55-modified MWNPs exhibited 2.1× higher spleen accumulation and elevated immune cell uptake in blood and spleen, specifically in monocyte/macrophage populations, as compared to unmodified MWNPs. This may be due to nonprotein corona-mediated mechanisms, such as the secondary role of CD55 as a ligand for CD97 (expressed in monocytes, macrophages, and other immune cells). Supporting this theory, studies examining ex vivo MWNP binding to spleen cells pretreated with IgG or CD97 antibodies showed that CD55-modified MWNPs had 18% lower binding after CD97 blockade, whereas unmodified MWNP binding was not reduced by CD97 blockade. These findings highlight the importance of considering both serum protein interactions and ligand/receptor interactions when designing genetically engineered MWNPs that overexpress a protein of interest, as well as the importance of testing modified MWNPs in both ex vivo and in vivo settings. In the future, the CD55 modification described here could be utilized to promote spleen tropism of MWNPs when desired. More broadly, this work demonstrates the ability to tune MWNP cellular interactions and biodistribution through genetic engineering of source cells─a technique that can be adapted for a plethora of uses in precision medicine.”

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Akina PolySciTech and Corbion Biomaterials Expand Distribution Agreement to Broaden Access to PURASORB® Resorbable Polymers

 Press Release

Akina PolySciTech and Corbion Biomaterials Expand Distribution Agreement to Broaden Access to PURASORB® Resorbable Polymers

West Lafayette, IN, USA, and Gorinchem, The Netherlands — 11/18/2025 –

Akina Inc., through its PolySciTech division, and Corbion Biomaterials today announced an expansion of their distribution agreement to cover Corbion’s complete off-the-shelf PURASORB® portfolio. This agreement reflects both companies’ commitment to advancing innovation in drug delivery and other medical applications.

The PURASORB® portfolio comprises resorbable polymers based on lactide, glycolide, and caprolactone, manufactured under GMP conditions. With decades of proven clinical performance, PURASORB® polymers are trusted worldwide by leading biopharmaceutical companies, generic medicine producers, and medical device manufacturers for their safety, quality, and consistency in drug delivery systems and medical devices. PURASORB® polymers support a broad range of long‑acting medicines and next‑generation medical devices.

By enabling researchers to initiate projects with GMP-equivalent polymers, the partnership ensures continuity from discovery through scale-up, reducing development risks and safeguarding product performance during critical transitions.

Through PolySciTech’s e-commerce platform, academic and industry scientists can order PURASORB® polymers in the quantities they need, with flexible purchasing options including credit card payment. This approach shortens delivery times and simplifies procurement, allowing researchers to focus on advancing their science rather than managing sourcing hurdles.

Researchers utilizing innovative research-grade polymers developed by PolySciTech also benefit from the partnership, with Corbion’s proven process for scaling up to GMP production bridging the gap to clinical use.

“This agreement expands the current Purasorb product offering currently carried by Akina, Inc. to include the entire standard catalog. For researchers, this means easy access to development grade materials currently produced in large-scale GMP format offered with the additional support of Akina, Inc’s comprehensive physicochemical characterization data. With little more than three clicks and a credit card, researchers can obtain gram-scale quantities of Purasorb polymers within as little as 1 business day.  This will enable translational research to generate and test drug-delivery or biomedical device prototypes utilizing the exact same materials as available for the finished clinic-ready products” said John Garner, (Akina, Inc. General Manager).

“Corbion is committed to supporting our partners’ success with GMP-grade resorbable polymers produced to the highest standards of quality and consistency,” said Julien Bérard, Global Head of Business Biomaterials at Corbion. “Extending our collaboration with PolySciTech ensures that innovators worldwide can access PURASORB® polymers at the earliest stages of development, laying the foundation for faster, more predictable advancement into clinical application.”

About PolySciTech (Akina, Inc.) PolySciTech, a division of Akina, Inc., is a leading global provider of research-grade biodegradable polymers, reagents, and related services for biomedical research. Headquartered in West Lafayette, Indiana, PolySciTech supports academic institutions and industry innovators in advancing drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. For more information, visit www.akinainc.com.

About Corbion Biomaterials Corbion Biomaterials is a global leader in resorbable polymers for medical and pharmaceutical applications. With decades of expertise in lactic acid and lactide chemistry, Corbion Biomaterials develops and manufactures its PURASORB® polymers under GMP conditions, providing trusted solutions for a wide range of partners worldwide advancing long acting drug delivery systems and medical devices. For more information, visit www.corbion.com.

 

Akina Media Contact: John Garner, General Manager, Akina: PolySciTech, jg@akinainc.com 765-464-0501

 

Corbion Media Contact: Lucas Wiarda, Marketing Director, lucas.wiarda@corbion.com ,+31 (0) 610334360

PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of timed release patch for treatment of heart disease

 

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains one of the most pressing global health problems, leaving millions of patients with long-term cardiac dysfunction despite advances in acute surgical care. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology used multiple PLGAs from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to develop a drug delivery system to release drugs into the heart tissue in a timed sequence. This research holds promise to improve treatment of heart disease. Read more: Erika Yan Wang, Elizabeth A. Calle, Binbin Ying, Behnaz Eshaghi, Linzixuan Zhang, Xin Yang, Stacey Qiaohui Lin, Jooli Han, Alanna G. Backx, Yuting Huang, Sevinj Mursalova, Chuhan Joyce Qi, Yi Liu, Robert Langer, Ana Jaklenec "TIMED: Temporal intervention with microparticle encapsulation and delivery—A programmed release system for post-myocardial infarction therapy." Cell Biomaterials (2025). https://www.cell.com/cell-biomaterials/abstract/S3050-5623(25)00240-5

“Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major global health challenge. Surgical interventions address the acute phase but often fail to support long-term recovery. Sequential post-operative drug delivery offers promise but is constrained by release methods. Here, we developed TIMED (temporal intervention with microparticle encapsulation and delivery), a polymeric device enabling programmed sequential release through spatially patterned microparticles in a tough hydrogel matrix. TIMED demonstrated excellent mechanical performance and biocompatibility for long-term implantation and retained strong stability after storage. A sequential dosing regimen aligned with the innate post-MI response was first validated in hiPSC-derived cardiac tissues, where it enhanced cell viability and vascularization while reducing collagen deposition. In vivo, delivery via the TIMED improved survival, reduced injury markers and infarct size, and enhanced cardiac output, outperforming equivalent i.v. dosing. This work establishes a first-of-its-kind cardiac implantable polymeric platform with modular sequential release and provides a framework for programmed multi-dosing across diverse applications.”

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mPEG-PLGA from Akina utilized in research on nanoparticle-protein interactions

 

When nanoparticle drug delivery system enters the body it gathers a cluster of proteins which naturally cluster around its surface forming a protein corona. Researchers at University of Napoli Federico II used mPEG-PLGA (Cat# AK090) from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to investigate the interactions between proteins and nanoparticles. This research helps elucidate the behavior of nanoparticle delivery systems. Read more: Spinelli, Lucio, Pasquale D’Anna, Elva Morretta, Chiara Cassiano, Virgilio Piccolo, Martina De Rosa, Rebecca Amico et al. "PEGylation-Driven Remodeling of the Protein Corona on PLGA Nanoparticles: Implications for Macrophage Recognition." Biomacromolecules (2025). https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.biomac.5c01369

“The formation of a Protein Corona (PC) on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) is a critical event that shapes their biological identity and governs interactions with the immune system. In this study, we investigated the composition of the PC formed on mixtures of PLGA and PEG–PLGA NPs, aiming to elucidate the link between NPsurface chemistry, proteomic fingerprint in cell culture medium, and uptake by bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). NPs showed different sizes but comparable actual PEG amount exposed on the surface, which is significantly lower than the theoretical values. The PC, isolated using a standardized microfiltration protocol, revealed distinct patterns of protein adsorption as a function of the PEG density. Uptake studies in BMDMs revealed a strong inverse relationship between PEG surface density, PC composition, and macrophage internalization, supporting the hypothesis that the opsonin/dysopsonin balance is more critical than a single protein interaction. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that the PEG surface density is not the only determinant of PC composition. These findings underscore the importance of rigorous surface characterization and PC profiling to predict and tune nanocarrier performance in vivo.”

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Fluorescent PLGA-FKR648 used in development of urease powered oral dosage nano-therapy.

 

In order for a swallowed tablet or pill to work, the relevant medicine must cross the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. Researchers at Universidade do Porto (University of Portugal), Harvard Medical School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology used Fluorescent PLGA-FKR648 (cat# AV015) as part of a novel, urease-powered motile nanoparticle for oral dosage. This research holds promise to provide for delivery of poorly-absorbed drugs. Read more: Almeida, Helena, Cecília Cristelo, Juliana Viegas, Giovanni Traverso, Bruno Sarmento, and José das Neves. "Gastrointestinal distribution of engineered biodegradable urease-powered nanomotors." Acta Biomaterialia (2025). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706125007287

“Abstract: The oral route is the most patient-friendly option for drug administration, yet biological barriers often limit its effectiveness. Chief among these is the mucus layer along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which restricts the transport of drugs and carriers. Strategies such as mucolytics, mucus-inert materials, and anisotropic nanosystems have been employed to enhance penetration. We developed urease-powered poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanomotors for drug delivery, featuring either random (isotropic) or spatially localized (anisotropic, Janus-like) urease surface functionalization. Anisotropic nanomotors were prepared by immobilizing PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) at the oil-water interface of Pickering emulsions, followed by urease conjugation via carbodiimide chemistry. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy confirmed NPs interfacial localization, and immunoelectron microscopy unveiled urease spatial distribution. The resulting nanomotors catalyzed the conversion of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide, enabling enhanced diffusion in urea-containing environments. Isotropic NPs showed a two-fold higher enzymatic conversion rate compared to anisotropic ones, attributed to higher enzyme availability, with negligible levels observed for passive PLGA NPs. All NPs were coated with poloxamer 407 (P407) for stabilization, yielding particles under 200 nm with low polydispersity and near-neutral charge. The P407 coating slightly reduced nanomotor mobility in fluids at the single-particle level, while it seems to have improved in vitro cell uptake in the presence of urea. In vivo studies in rats revealed that urease-functionalized nanomotors transited the GI tract and appeared to show enhanced localization at the epithelial surface, when compared to passive counterparts and regardless of urease distribution configuration. These findings highlight the potential of both isotropic and anisotropic urease-powered PLGA nanomotors to overcome GI barriers and serve as drug delivery platforms. New designs for urease-powered polymeric nanoparticles (nanomotors) are proposed in this work to circumvent hurdles introduced by mucosae. Nanomotors featured either random or spatially oriented distribution of urease at their surface. The latter was achieved by means of Pickering emulsion and partial surface modification. Using these approaches, we demonstrated that both nanomotors convert urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia, resulting in enhanced diffusion in aqueous media. Nanomotors were safe in vitro, and capable of providing extensive distribution throughout the gastrointestinal tract following oral administration to rats, accumulating in the vicinity of the epithelium. The main findings suggest that such bioresorbable nanosystems have the potential to tackle important biological barriers and presumably be used as oral drug delivery vehicles.”

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PLGA-Rhodamine from PolySciTech used in development of novel immunotherapy for cancer

 

Immunotherapy is a promising field where the bodies own defense system is used to fight cancer. Researchers at The University of Oklahoma used PLGA-Rhodamine B (Cat# AV011) from Akina from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to develop a novel immunotherapy platform. This research holds promise to improve treatment against cancer. Read more: Ajeeb, Rana, Chloé Catelain, Harsh A. Joshi, Danuta Radyna, and John R. Clegg. "Recombinant Cytokine Bioconjugates with Degradable Nanogel Substrates for Macrophage Immunotherapy." Acta Biomaterialia (2025). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706125004015

“Cytokines are potent endogenous modulators of innate immunity, making them key mediators of macrophage plasticity for immunotherapy. However, the clinical translation of recombinant cytokines as therapeutics is limited by systemic side effects, caused by cytokines’ pleiotropy, potency, and non-specific biodistribution following systemic dosing. We developed a cytokine delivery platform utilizing poly(acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) synthetic nanogels as a biodegradable substrate for conjugated recombinant cytokines (i.e., IFNγ, IL4, or IL10), called Synthetic Nano-CytoKines or “SyNK”. We evaluated the phenotypic response of macrophages to these conjugates following prophylactic or therapeutic dosing, in the presence or absence of soluble inflammatory signals. Our data confirmed that SyNK is highly cytocompatible with murine macrophages, preserves the activity of conjugated recombinant cytokines to both macrophages and dendritic cells, and minimizes systemic exposure to freely soluble recombinant cytokines. Intrinsic activity of the nanomaterial was modest, acting in combination with the conjugated cytokine, and resulted in unique phenotypes with IL4-SyNK and IL10-SyNK stimulation that could potentially be leveraged for therapeutic applications. We further demonstrated that RAW264.7 macrophages adopt distinct alternative phenotypes upon IL4 or IL10 stimulation in different classically polarizing microenvironments, as measured by spectral flow cytometry and secretome multiplex, which are similar for soluble recombinant cytokine and the corresponding SyNK. These findings offer a potential mechanism through which IL4 or IL10-SyNK can redirect the classically activated macrophage antigen presentation, T cell co-stimulation, or microenvironment regulatory functions for therapeutic purposes. Cytokines have been extensively investigated as immune therapies, but their clinical translation is limited by their systemic toxicity and frequent dosing regimens. Existing approaches have improved cytokine stability and local delivery but still face challenges in systemic administration and controlling immune response. We developed a cytokine delivery platform using biodegradable poly(acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) nanogels to conjugate cytokines (e.g. IFNγ, IL4, or IL10) aimed at systemic macrophage immunotherapy. We show that our platform preserves cytokine activity and eliminates the release of free cytokine. We further explore, for the first time, how different stimuli in the macrophage environment influence their response to the cytokine bioconjugates. Our work provides thorough insights into macrophage plasticity and addresses key limitations of current strategies.”

PLGA-Rhodamine (https://akinainc.com/polyscitech/products/polyvivo/index.php?highlight=AV011#h)

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