mPEG-PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of ketamine-delivery nanoparticles for reduced-addiction pain therapy

Typically, as a part of either post-surgical healing or chronic disease states (cancer, back damage, etc.) there is a need for long-lasting pain relief. Unfortunately, the opioid drugs which are conventionally used for this application have a highly addictive effect which has contributed greatly to society-wide opioid addiction issues. Recently, researchers at The University of Queensland (Australia) used mPEG-PLGA (AK026) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to develop ketamine-delivery nanoparticles for reduced opioid pain treatment options that are less addictive. Read more: Han, Felicity Y., Yun Liu, Vinod Kumar, Weizhi Xu, Guangze Yang, Chun-Xia Zhao, Trent M. Woodruff, Andrew K. Whittaker, and Maree T. Smith. "Sustained-release ketamine-loaded nanoparticles fabricated by sequential nanoprecipitation." International Journal of Pharmaceutics (2020): 119291. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378517320302751

“Abstract: Ketamine in sub-anaesthetic doses is an analgesic adjuvant with a morphine-sparing effect. Co-administration of a strong opioid with an analgesic adjuvant such as ketamine is a potential treatment option, especially for patients with cancer-related pain. A limitation of ketamine is its short in vivo elimination half-life. Hence, our aim was to develop biocompatible and biodegradable ketamine-loaded poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles for sustained release. Ketamine-encapsulated single polymer PEG-PLGA nanoparticles and double polymer PEG-PLGA/shellac (SH) nanoparticles with a high drug loading of 41.8% (drug weight/the total weight of drug-loaded nanoparticles) were prepared using a new sequential nanoprecipitation method. These drug-loaded nanoparticles exhibited a sustained-release profile for up to 21 days in vitro and for more than 5 days after intravenous injection in mice. Our study demonstrates that high drug loading and a sustained release profile can be achieved with ketamine-loaded PEG-PLGA nanoparticles prepared using this new nanoprecipitation method.”