NEAT MUCOADHESIVE POLYMER

Mucosal-adhesive (mucoadhesive) materials are of great importance for wound healing and covering, bleeding control, drug delivery and other medical applications. However, tradeoffs between adhesive properties and the ease of use occasionally limit their clinical use. We have designed a neat liquid formulation that solidifies in-situ after administration to yield a super strong and long lasting adherence. The structure motif is based on low molecular weight, four-armed pre-polymers, modified with functional NH₂ or NHS end groups that promote cross linking and adhesiveness. Mucoadhesion strength between the gel and a mucosal tissue was found to be dependent of PEG₄-NHS concentration. Polymer-tissue intimacy was evaluated ex-vivo by fluorescent microscopy that showed a smoother and a more continuous contact of the tissue with the formulation containing a higher PEG₄-NHS content. In-vitro toxicity of the pre-polymer mixture was evaluated and was found to be benign. This formulation could potentially revolutionize wound healing and regenerative medicine.