Gelmed's Hydrogel Technology Offers Multi-Faceted Application

Pioneering work within the laboratories of US company Gelmed has produced a novel series of polymer hydrogels that could have a wide variety of medical applications. The company, in various collaborative partnerships, is pushing hard in development and reports the creation of custom-designed hydrogels for application in oral drug delivery, topical medicines and the preservation of bioactive proteins.

At the 22nd International Symposium on Controlled Release of Bioactive Materials held in the USA, Gelmed presented papers on three hydrogel formulations it has in development: a pH Engineered Response hydrogel - a product designed to release drug in a pH-dependant manner for the controlled-delivery of oral prescriptions; a Smart Hydrogel - a polymer that gellifies at body temperature for topical applications; and a technique and customized hydrogel for the loading and preservation of bioactive compounds.

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional polymer network swollen in an aqueous medium. Depending on the environmental conditions, the polymer chains can either repel each other and swell, or attract each other and collapse. This phenomenon is known as phase transition. Swelling can induce the release of any compound contained within the hydrogel, while collapsing causes the retension of incorporated substances. Gelmed, by experimenting with the chemical make-up of hydrogels, has been able to customize their physical nature and response to environmental stimuli. The company believes that this technology will be beneficial to a broad range of industries including pharmaceutical, cosmetic, veterinary and consumer-product companies.