Novel dosage forms of pharmaceutically active components are strongly demanded for abuse-free application of drugs as well as by the demographic change, which has added high levels of importance to easy-to-use medication in order to leave older-aged individuals independent of nursery as long as possible. Polymer-based drug depots, which degrade in-vivo during a predefined time and constantly release the drugs required by the patients in the recommended dose, are a promising strategy to aid in this concern that will be investigated in the project “MIMIFLOW: Microwave-Assisted Milligel Synthesis under Continuous Flow”, a collaboration of the University of Pau, the University of Bordeaux, the Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH and the Graz University of Technology. The aim of this project is the development of novel polymer carrier matrices based on crosslinked biopolyesters and poly(2-oxazoline)s. These polymer networks are assigned high potential to combine the advantages of both types of polymers involved and to overcome their respective limitations like too slow degradation kinetics, hydrophobicity, or bulk erosion.

The syntheses will be performed in state-of-the-art microwave reactors, with a dedicated focus on millifluidic continuous-flow systems in order to produce poly(ester-oxazoline) networks with defined shapes and geometries for their specific applications. At the end of the MIMIFLOW project, degradable poly(ester-oxazoline) networks will have been synthesized and characterized by wettability, swelling degrees, mechanical properties in the dry and swollen state and degradation / release kinetics. Representative candidates of this class of novel polymer matrices will have been in-vitro tested for applicability in mammalian bodies and their functionality as drug depots.

 

Contact:

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Frank Wiesbrock

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