PEG in Drug Delivery: Pros and Cons as well as Potential Alternatives
-
Knop, Katrin; Hoogenboom, Richard; Fischer, Dagmar; Schubert, Ulrich S.
- Abstract:
- Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is the most used polymer and also the
gold standard for stealth polymers in the emerging field of polymerbased
drug delivery. The properties that account for the overwhelming
use of PEG in biomedical applications are outlined in this Review. The
first approved PEGylated products have already been on the market
for 20 years. A vast amount of clinical experience has since been
gained with this polymer—not only benefits, but possible side effects
and complications have also been found. The areas that might need
consideration and more intensive and careful examination can be divided
into the following categories: hypersensitivity, unexpected
changes in pharmacokinetic behavior, toxic side products, and an
antagonism arising from the easy degradation of the polymer under
mechanical stress as a result of its ether structure and its non-biodegradability,
as well as the resulting possible accumulation in the body.
These possible side effects will be discussed in this Review and alternative
polymers will be evaluated.
- Year:
- 2010
- Type of Publication:
- Article
- Journal:
- Angewandte Chemie
- Volume:
- 49
- Pages:
- 6288 - 6308