C2018-18

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Technology # 18-18 An Anionic Hydrogel product/technology The development of bio-compatible and bio-degradable hydrogels for sustained delivery of biological therapeutic agents is important for many regenerative medicine applications. In general, hydrogels can be made from both natural and synthetic polymers. Natural polymers are often bio-compatible and biodegradable, but are difficult to be chemically functionalized for sustained release and/or potentially immunogenic in the host body. Hydrogels made from synthetic polymers have several advantages including modifiable chemical properties, tunable mechanical properties, controllable porosity and transport properties. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is a material commonly used to form synthetic hydrogels due to its excellent bio-compatibility, but PEG hydrogels typically possess minimal or no intrinsic biological activity that limits their use for sustained release of proteins. However, a new invention has been created to synthesize bio-compatible and biodegradable anionic hydrogels for protein delivery. The advantages to this method are vast including: a simple two-step process, the raw materials used are inexpensive, reaction protocol can be scaled up to match the industrial production requirement, the hydrogel contains more than 92% water suggesting that it is more environmentally friendly in comparison to other commercially available products, the hydrogels can be easily engineered into different forms to be used as patches or injectable gels, the hydrogels are capable of loading positively charged proteins and promote sustained release of proteins. This invention/technology is available for licensing. For interested parties seeking further information, feel free to contact: Mark Allen Lanoue Technology Manager / Tech Ventures University of Arkansas (479) 575-7243 [email protected]