E. Hughes, E. Van Keuren, B. Houser, J. Gong, P. Kang
Georgetown University,
United States
Keywords: polymers, nanoparticle, medicine
Summary:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common surgery complication caused by an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily hydrogen peroxide, in the body. Despite the prevalence and severity of this condition, there is currently no therapeutic in clinical use for AKI treatment. APP-103TM is a novel polymer-based nanoparticle designed to quench ROS and prevent damage during surgery, reducing likelihood and severity of AKI. Peroxalate ester bonds along the backbone of PVAX, the active ingredient in APP-103TM, react with hydrogen peroxide at the site of injury to release vanillyl alcohol, an anti-inflammatory. APP-103TM is formed by the emulsification solvent evaporation method, during which PVAX is encapsulated into nanoparticles for intravenous injection. So far, APP-103TM has shown efficacy in mouse and rat models, and is under development for clinical application in humans.