Peptide hydrogel-drug conjugates for tailored disease treatment.

ABSTRACT: Efficacy of therapeutic drugs is oftentimes limited in time by their low metabolic stability and rapid clearance mechanisms. Peptide hydrogels have been used for the physical encapsulation of a vast number of drugs in the treatment of many different disease states, thereby effectively prolonging activity profiles of these drugs. However, consistent drug loading and release is generally lacking, while the delivery of hydrophobic drugs remains problematic. Many of these shortcomings can be addressed by covalently attaching the drug to the hydrogelator, thereby creating hydrogel-drug conjugates. Their easy synthesis and functionalization, alongside their biocompatibility, makes peptide hydrogels particularly fit for this purpose. Release can readily be tuned depending on the choice of linker

SUBMITTER: Cauwenbergh T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11815290 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature