Absorbable PEG-based hydrogels
An absorbable PEG-based hydrogel prepared from a multi-arm-PEG-vinylsulfone having about 3 to about 8 arms and a multi-arm-PEG-R-sulfhydryl having about 3 to about 8 arms; where R is defined as an ester linkage, such as carboxylate ester, lactate ester, and isobutyrate ester have been disclosed. Additionally, sustained release compositions that are prepared from an absorbable PEG-based hydrogel and a protein have been disclosed which provide sustained release of proteins and peptides.
1. A method of sustained release of a protein comprising the steps of:
providing a sustained release composition comprising, a PEG-based hydrogel comprising, the reaction product of a multi-arm-PEG-vinylsulfone having about 3 to about 8 arms and a multi-arm-PEG-R-sulfhydryl having about 3 to about 8 arms; wherein R si an ester linkage selected from the group consisting of carboxylate ester, lactate ester, and isobutyrate ester; and a protein, implanting the sustained release composition, and releasing the protein from the composition for up to about 180 days.
2. The method of sustained release of a protein of claim 1 wherein the N-arm-PEG-vinylsulfone and the N-arm-PEG-R-sulfhydryl are in a ratio of from about 1:1 to about 1:2.
3. The method of sustained release of a protein of claim 1 wherein, the molecular weight of the PEG is from about 2000 Da to about 40 kDa.
4. The method of sustained release of a protein of claim 1 wherein the protein is an anti-IL-6 antibody.
5. The method of sustained release of a protein of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-based hydrogel further comprises an excipient.
6. The method of sustained release of a protein of claim 5 , where the excipient is cyclodextrin.