Polyethylene glycol (PEG): a versatile polymer for pharmaceutical applications

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polymer of choice in drug delivery systems. This USFDA-approved polymer is popular due to its tunable properties and well-established safety profile: prime requisites considered during the selection of any excipient in formulation development.

Areas covered: The unique properties and applications of PEG have been discussed at length in the existing literature. However, a proper guidance on selection of PEG grade to cater to one’s purpose is lacking. This article provides preliminary guidelines to formulators on selection of appropriate PEG grade, typically based on its physico-chemical properties and role-based functional application in pharmaceuticals. It should be noted that the aim article is not to deep dive in each application area.

Expert opinion: Guidance on PEG application and grade of choice is lacking in the available literature. The authors have discussed and provided guidance to formulators on the appropriate PEG grade selection for particular application based on the available in vitro and in vivo literature data. In this review a State-of-the-art use of PEG in therapeutic applications, its clinical status and commercial use is also summarized. Nevertheless, toxicities related to different PEG grades and related impurities are discussed in this review.

KEYWORDS:

• Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
• liposomes
• nanoparticles
• stealth effect
• permeation enhancer
• plasticizer
• polymer
• solubilizers
• nanotoxicity
• surface modification/decoration

Declaration of interests

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.

Article highlights

• Guidance on PEG grade selection for specific application

• Properties of PEG – solubilizer, permeation enhancer, plasticizer, release modifier, stabilizer, stealth

• Application areas and grades recommendation on PEGs

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