Inhalable PLGA microspheres: Tunable lung retention and systemic exposure via polyethylene glycol modification.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification is one of the promising approaches to overcome both mucus and alveolar macrophage uptake barriers in the deep lung for sustained therapy of pulmonary diseases such as asthma. To investigate the feasibility of using PEG-modified microspheres to bypass both barriers, we prepared a collection of polyethylene glycol-distearoyl glycero-phosphoethanolamine (PEG-DSPE)-modified poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres bearing specific PEG molecular weights (0.75, 2, 5, and 10 kDa) and PEG-DSPE/PLGA molar ratios (0.

Phospholipid-modified poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles for tuning the interaction with alveolar macrophages: In vitro and in vivo assessment.

Controlled drug delivery to the lungs is promising with plentiful advantages over current rapid release products. However, alveolar macrophage clearance has severely hindered the application of inhaled controlled release preparations. The objective of our study was to explore the feasibility to decorate poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles with endogenous phospholipids found in the deep lungs, thus, to regulate the interplay with alveolar macrophages.