Why Does PEGylation Work in Drug Delivery? Can We do Better? Pegylation has been widely utilized in bio-pharmaceutical research since the first attempted by Davis and Abuchowskyon albumin and catalase modification in the 1970s. PEGs are hydrophilic, non-toxic, non-immunogenic, and relatively chemically inert polymers consisting of repetitive units of ethylene oxide. It has been approved by the FDA as "generally recognized as safe". Of all applications of Pegylation linkers, Drug delivery stands out as the prime path for scientists to look into.
The pros and cons of PEGylation in Drug Delivery Drug delivery refers to approaches, formulations, technologies, and systems for transporting a pharmaceutical compound in the body as needed to safely achieve its desired therapeutic effect. It may involve scientific site-targeting within the body, or it might involve facilitating systemic pharmacokinetics; in any case, it is typically concerned with both quantity and duration of drug presence. Drug delivery is often approached via a drug's chemical formulation, but it may also involve medical devices or drug-device combination products. Drug delivery is a concept heavily integrated with dosage form and route of administration, the latter sometimes even being considered part of the definition. It is generally thought that PEGylation allows particulate delivery systems and biomaterials to evade the immune system and thereby prolong circulation lifetimes. However, numerous studies over the past decade have demonstrated that PEGylation causes significant reductions in drug delivery, including enhanced serum protein binding, reduced uptake by target cells, and the elicitation of an immune response that facilitates clearance in vivo.