Biomaterials, Drug Delivery,

Nanotechnology and Bioengineering

Nicholas A. Peppas
Center for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, Bionanotechnology
and Molecular Recognition
Departments of Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering,
and Division of Pharmaceutics
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas 78712, USA

Smart Drug Delivery

The future of drug delivery systems will involve smart systems
These will address the issue of keeping the drug at the desired
therapeutic level in the body thus avoiding frequent administration
Systems use detection of chemical signals in the body to prompt
the release of drugs
The ultimate goal is to administer drugs at the right time, at the
right dose anywhere in the body with specificity and efficiency

Oral Delivery of Proteins

Challenges
Protection of the drug from:
The acidic environment in the
stomach
Degradation by proteolytic
enzymes in the GI tract

Penetration and absorption

of drug across the intestinal
mucosa and epithelium

Stomach pH ~2

Junction
Tight

Polymeric
Carrier

Protein
Proteolitic
Enzymes

Mucosa

Complexation and pH Responsive Hydrogels

Complexed
Small mesh size
Low pH

CH3

H2C

CH3

C
C

H2C
O

[O

Protect drug

HOOC

CH2CH2 ]n
OCH3

Release drug
CH3
H2C

Uncomplexed
Increased mesh size
High pH

CH3

C
C

H2C

O
-OOC

[O
CH2CH2 ]n
OCH3

Systemic Circulation

Tight
Junction

Polymeric
Carrier

Protein
Proteolitic
Enzymes

Mucosa

In Vivo Study with pH-Responsive

Complexation Hydrogels
P(MAA-g-EG) microspheres
loaded with insulin
Administered to diabetic rats
40% drop in blood glucose
levels

NIH 2-3 positions

NIH/NCI 1-2 positions

NSF 1 position

System-Responsive Therapy:
Control-Based Design of Biomedical Systems
Configurational Biomimetic Imprinting
Making artificial locks for molecular keys

Molecular key
(template molecule)

Lock
(polymer building blocks)

Small molecules

Functional monomers
Cross-linkers

Drug substances, amino

acids, steroid hormones

Large molecules
Nucleic acids, proteins

Cells and viruses

Configurational Biomimetic Imprinting

Solvent
Initiator

Monomers

Polymerization

Template

Extraction
and drying

BioMEMS Sensor Platform

Pattern environmentally responsive hydrogels
onto silicon microcantilevers to create a
BioMEMS/MEMS sensor device.

Polymer
Silicon
Laser
beam
Laser
beam

>

Change in analyte, pH, temperature

etc. hydrogel swells

System-Responsive Therapy:
A Bright Future
Need for advanced intelligent materials, more
reliable devices, miniaturized systems
Society asks for improved treatment of
disease, advanced detection and therapy, and
cost effective processes

Improvement of quality of life is important

David
Cody

Bill
Brandon

Maggie
Diane

Jenny

Amey

Mary

Insulin

Cancer

siRNA

Recognitive

External Triggering