PLA-PEG-PLA-diacrylate from PolySciTech used in development of acid-sensitive drug delivery system

 

Most disease states lead to reduced pH in the microenvironment due to increased glycolysis. Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, and Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, used PLA-PEG-PLA-diacrylate (AI172) from PolySciTech division of Akina, Inc. (www.PolySciTech.com) to develop an acid sensitive capsule which is attracted to low pH in solution. This research holds promise to provide for improved drug delivery to a wide range of disease states. Read more: Cao, Zheng, Xueqing Cheng, Xiulian Lu, Qian He, Qiong Dai, Liyun Zhang, Xiang Zhang et al. "Universal diseased-site targeting via glycolysis-driven lactic acid gradient." Science Advances 12, no. 25 (2026): eaeb4570. https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/sciadv.aeb4570

“Targeted delivery of protein therapeutics remains challenging for translating biologics into effective treatments. Here, we introduce a universal strategy leveraging elevated glycolysis, a hallmark of many pathological states, and its resulting extracellular acidification as a navigational cue. Therapeutic proteins are encapsulated within pH-responsive polymer shells that remain near-neutral at physiological pH but gradually gain positive charge under acidic conditions. This dynamic charge modulation allows nanocapsules to sense pH gradients between healthy and diseased tissues, directing them toward pathological sites. Unlike receptor-mediated targeting that operates over nanometer scales, this receptor-independent approach enables long-range targeting. In vivo models of cancer, chronic inflammation, and acute injury demonstrate selective accumulation of encapsulated proteins at diseased sites, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while reducing systemic toxicity. By transforming a ubiquitous metabolic signature into a directional driving force, this lactate acid gradient–mediated targeting (LaGET) platform offers a previously underexplored paradigm for targeted delivery of protein therapeutics.”

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