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Article
Thermo-responsive and covalently cross-linkable hydrogels for intra-articular drug delivery
ACS Applied Bio Materials
  • Andy Prince, The University of Western Ontario
  • Ian J. Villamagna, Western University
  • Aneta Borecki, Western University
  • Frank Beier, Western University
  • John R. de Bruyn, Western University
  • Mark Hurtig, Ontario Veterinary College
  • Elizabeth Gillies, Western University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2019
Disciplines
Abstract

The local delivery of drugs to joints is a recognized strategy in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Hydrogels, particularly those that can be injected as liquids but undergo gelation in the joint, are promising platforms for intra-articular drug delivery. However, their properties must be carefully designed and tuned to achieve sustained drug release, which has been a challenge with previous hydrogels. We describe here the use of a combination of non-covalent thermal gelation and covalent cross-linking with poly(caprolactone-co-lactide)(PCLA)-poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)-PCLA triblock copolymers to achieve hydrogels with sustained drug release in joints. The hybrid cross-linking approach afforded higher viscoelastic and compression moduli compared to non-covalent cross-linking alone and enabled celecoxib as well as other drugs to be loaded without substantially compromising the mechanical properties. Celecoxib release in vitro was much slower for the hybrid cross-linked hydrogel, with only 20% released over 22 days, compared to 90% released over 22 days for a non-covalently cross-linked hydrogel. Furthermore, the burst release of celecoxib was reduced in vivo in horse joints compared to non-covalent systems, and drug was detected in synovial fluid for a period of two months. Overall, this new hydrogel system shows significant promise as a platform for further development in intra-articular delivery.

Notes

A correction is submitted as an additional file.

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ASC Applied Bio Materials, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.9b00410

Citation Information
Andy Prince, Ian J. Villamagna, Aneta Borecki, Frank Beier, et al.. "Thermo-responsive and covalently cross-linkable hydrogels for intra-articular drug delivery" ACS Applied Bio Materials Vol. 2 (2019) p. 3498-3507 - 3498
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/frank-beier/66/