Progress in biopolymer-based biomaterials and their application in controlled drug delivery

Abstract

Biopolymer-based materials are based on re-growing resources and are attractive for biomedical applications, as they can inherently combine degradability in vivo, can offer sites of adhesion for cells and proteins, often show good biocompatibility and may additionally be used to release embedded bioactive molecules. However, their selection and efficient use for specific applications require an understanding of molecular principles and relationships between the molecular and macroscopic level to establish distinct properties and functions. Here, synthetic routes are described, which allow tailoring properties and functions of biopolymer-based materials. The biological evaluation of such materials is discussed, with a special emphasis on their application in controlled release systems such as hydrogels and particulate carriers.

Keywords::

• biomaterial
• biopolymer
• drug delivery
• nucleic acids
• polysaccharides
• proteins

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• • Biopolymer-based systems for biomedical applications enable tailoring of properties and functions.

• • Specific synthetic tools realizing defined molecular architectures and analytical tools for characterization on different hierarchical levels are essential for such tailorable materials.

• • Engineered biopolymers, such as polysaccharides synthesized chemoenzymatically, neobiopolymers and hybrids will offer specific properties and functions.

• • Selection of the starting materials and synthetic procedures has to be guided by the envisioned application.

• • The self-assembling properties of biopolymers can be used to build up supramolecular structures providing the capability to form hydrogels in the form of, for example, fibrils, or particles.

• • The intensive biological evaluation of recently synthesized materials for biomedical application is still pending.

• • Cell adhesion to biomaterials is important for their biological performance in vitro and in vivo. Such adhesion has been predominantly shown by specific peptides and proteins and might add to site-directed delivery.

• • Controlled release of large hydrophilic bioactive molecules from bulk hydrogels and particulate hydrogel systems can be controlled, for example, by gel mesh sizes, specific interactions between the bioactive molecules and biopolymers, or their continuous production in the hydrogels.

• • Future research will concentrate on providing access to medical grade biopolymers, development of new fields of application, and the clinical translation of novel materials.

Notes