Issue 38, 2023

The role of Eudragit® as a component of hydrogel formulations for medical devices

Abstract

Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in developing hydrogels as medical devices. By physically cross-linking pharmaceutically approved polymers into three-dimensional matrices, we can ensure their biocompatibility and facilitate their seamless transition from the laboratory to clinical applications. Moreover, the reversible nature of their physical cross-links allows hydrogels to dissolve in the presence of external stimuli. Particularly, their high degree of hydration, high molecular weight, and superior flexibility of the polymer chains facilitate their interaction with complex biological barriers (e.g., mucus layer), making them ideal candidates for mucosal drug delivery. However, fine-tuning the composition of the hydrogel formulations is of great importance to optimize the performance of the medical device and its therapeutic cargo. Herein, we investigated the influence of different Eudragits® on the properties of hydrogels based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), which were originally proposed as ocular inserts in previous reports. Our research aims to determine the effects that including different Eudragits® have on the structure and protein ocular delivery ability of various hydrogel formulations. Properties such as matrix stability, protein encapsulation, release kinetics, mucoadhesion, and biocompatibility have been analyzed in detail. Our study represents a guideline of the features that Eudragits® have to exhibit to endow hydrogels with good adhesion to the eye's conjunctiva, biocompatibility, and structural strength to cope with the ocular biointerface and allow sustained protein release. This work has important implications for the design of new hydrogel materials containing Eudragits® in their composition, particularly in mucosal drug delivery.

Graphical abstract: The role of Eudragit® as a component of hydrogel formulations for medical devices

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 jul 2023
Accepted
11 sep 2023
First published
12 sep 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2023,11, 9276-9289

The role of Eudragit® as a component of hydrogel formulations for medical devices

D. Esporrín-Ubieto, A. S. Sonzogni, M. Fernández, A. Acera, E. Matxinandiarena, J. F. Cadavid-Vargas, I. Calafel, R. N. Schmarsow, A. J. Müller, A. Larrañaga and M. Calderón, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2023, 11, 9276 DOI: 10.1039/D3TB01579C

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