mPEG-PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of transplanted organ delivery system to reduce organ rejection.

 

A common problem associated with organ transplantation is the rejection of the organ by the recipient’s immune system. Systemic immunosuppressants have severe side effects due to their non-specific nature. Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Seoul National University used mPEG PLGA (AK102, AK110) from PolySciTech division of Akina, Inc. (www.PolySciTech.com) to develop tocilizumab loaded nanoparticles to reduce organ rejection. This research holds promise to improve the success of organ transplant surgeries. Read more: Jung, S., Y. Park, N. Hayes, P. M. Patel, J. Kim, J. Doh, J. S. Allan, J. C. Madsen, and R. Abdi. "Intraorgan and Targeted Nanodelivery in Organ Transplantation of Non-Human Primates." American Journal of Transplantation (2026). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613526026201

“While systemic immunosuppression is standard in transplantation, it carries substantial toxicity and does not achieve adequate drug delivery to key immunologic sites. Nanoparticles (NPs) can enable targeted local immunomodulation with reduced systemic exposure. We evaluated the feasibility of NP delivery to the two principal sites of alloimmunity: the donor organ and the recipient lymph nodes (LNs). For intraorgan delivery, we have synthesized and characterized a PLGA-based NP platform to encapsulate tocilizumab (TCZ). NP-TCZ shows a uniform diameter of ∼100 nm and releases TCZ at a controlled rate with a half-life of 3.4 days. NP-TCZ showed stronger inhibition of LPS-induced IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α production from human macrophages, as compared to free TCZ. In a non-human primate (NHP) ex vivo lung perfusion model, fluorescent-labeled NPs were observed to enter HLA-DR+, CD11b+, and CD20+ immune cells of the lung parenchyma and graft-associated LNs. To test delivery to recipient LNs after transplantation, we synthesized large-scale NPs conjugated with MECA79 to target high endothelial venules (HEV) in recipient draining lymph nodes (DLNs). MECA79-NPs administered systemically in NHP skin allograft models accumulated in DLNs at levels 17-fold higher than in non-draining nodes and localized to macrophages adjacent to HEVs. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of nanotherapeutics in NHP transplantation.”

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