A hydrogel prepared by in situ cross-linking of a thiol-containing poly(ethylene glycol)-based copolymer: a new biomaterial for protein drug delivery

A new poly(ethylene glycol)-based copolymer containing multiple thiol (–SH) groups was cross-linked in situ to form a polymer hydrogel under mild conditions. No organic solvent, elevated temperature, or harsh pH is required in the formulation or patient administration processes, making it particularly useful for delivery of fragile therapeutics, such as proteins. The in vitro release of fluorescein-labeled bovine serum albumin and the in vivo release of the model proteins, erythropoietin, RANTES and three PEG-conjugated RANTES derivatives showed sustained release for 2–4 weeks and demonstrated prolonged biological activity of the released proteins in animals.