Poly(ethylene glycol) or poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) – A systematic comparison of PLGA nanoparticles from the bottom up

Dirauf, Michael; Grune, Christian; Weber, Christine; Schubert, Ulrich S.; Fischer, Dagmar

Abstract:

In times of drastically increasing numbers of scientific reports dealing with the drawbacks of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), the search of PEG alternatives has never been more urgent. This study describes a one–to–one comparison of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEtOx-b-PLGA) to commercial PEG-b-PLGA from the bottom up in order to verify the similarity of both polymer classes when applied in nanoparticle formulation processes. For this purpose, a library of block copolymers with molar masses (Mn) ranging from 6500 to 60,000 g mol−1 was synthesized via tin-(II)-ethyl hexanoate (SnOct2) catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide and glycolide utilizing PEtOx-OH as a macroinitiator in the melt. The PEtOx-b-PLGA polymers were adjusted in terms of molar mass, dispersity and lactide to glycolide ratio of the PLGA block. Nanoparticle formulations showed a similar behavior for both polymer libraries. Zeta potentials as well as hydrodynamic diameter measured by laser light scattering were in excellent agreement, demonstrating the eligibility of PEtOx-b-PLGA as an alternative to formulate “stealth” nanoparticles.

Year:

2020

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

European Polymer Journal

Volume:

134

Pages:

109801

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2020.109801