PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of drug-eluting sinus stent for chronic inflammation treatment

Chronic inflammation of sinus passageways is a very common disease afflicting ~14-16% of adults in USA. Often bacterial infections in this area are very difficult to treat with systemic antibiotics due to the formation of a bacterial biofilm within the sinus. Severe and chronic sinus infection can require surgical intervention to reopen the passages with placement of a sinus stent. Ideally, the stent provides for a promising platform to provide for drug-delivery to the sinus passageways. Recently, researchers at University of Alabama at Birmingham used a series of PLAs and PLGAs (PolyVivo AP036, AP045, AP059, and AP061) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to develop a drug-eluting sinus stent. This research holds promise to provide for improved therapy for this disease which affects many people. Read more: Do‐Yeon Cho, Dong‐Jin Lim, Calvin Mackey, Christopher G. Weeks, Jaime A. Pena Garcia, Daniel Skinner, Shaoyan Zhang, Justin McCormick, Bradford A. Woodworth “In‐vitro evaluation of a ciprofloxacin‐ and ivacaftor‐coated sinus stent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms” International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology (DOI: 10.1002/alr.22285, 2019) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alr.22285

“Abstract: Background: We recently developed a novel ciprofloxacin‐coated sinus stent capable of releasing antibiotics over a sustained period of time. Ivacaftor is a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) potentiator that has synergistic bactericidal activity with ciprofloxacin and also enhances sinus mucociliary clearance. The objective of this study was to optimize and evaluate the efficacy of a ciprofloxacin‐ and ivacaftor‐releasing biodegradable sinus stent (CISS) in vitro. Methods: A CISS was created by coating ciprofloxacin/ivacaftor‐embedded nanoparticles with an acrylate and ammonium methacrylate copolymer onto a biodegradable poly‐L‐lactic acid stent. In‐vitro evaluation of the CISS included: (1) assessment of drug stability in nanoparticles by zeta potential, and drug‐coating stability within the CISS using scanning electron microscopy (SEM); (2) determination of ciprofloxacin‐ and ivacaftor‐release kinetics; and (3) assessment of anti‒Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation by calculating relative optical density units (RODUs) compared with control stents at 590‐nm optical density. Results: The presence of drugs and a uniform coating on the stent were confirmed by zeta potential and SEM. Sustained drug release was observed through 21 days without an initial burst release. Anti‐biofilm formation was observed after placing the CISS for 3 days onto a preformed 1‐day P aeruginosa biofilm. The CISS significantly reduced biofilm mass compared with bare stents and controls (RODUs at 590‐nm optical density; CISS, 0.31 ± 0.01; bare stent, 0.78 ± 0.12; control, 1.0 ± 0.00; p = 0.001; n = 3). Conclusion: The CISS maintains a uniform coating and sustained delivery of drugs providing a marked reduction in P aeruginosa biofilm formation. Further studies evaluating the efficacy of CISS in a preclinical model are planned.”