STTR Phase II: Dendritic Hydrogel Actuators for a Liquid Drug Delivery Patch

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This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II project will develop a class of new, stable, highly responsive Electro Active Polymer (EAP) hydrogel actuator materials. Incorporating dendrimers (dendritic macromolecules) and hyper branched polymers as chemical cross-linking agents into a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based EAP hydrogel to increase cross-linking densities at low polymer concentration will introduce systematic control of physical properties and performance through structural variables provided by the dendrimer (e.g. generation; end groups; branching ratio; subunit structure). Our research objectives involve the preparation of dendrimer containing PEG hydrogels and the investigation of dendrimer mole fraction, structure, and molecular weight on the stability, strength, physical and responsive properties of the hydrogel material. The new hydrogel actuator materials will enable low cost miniature infusion pump technology. These actuators will be the pump mechanism of a disposable (low cost), small patch like, device being commercialized by Medipacs as the Mini Infuser. The Mini Infuser is a miniature, disposable, programmable drug delivery device designed to significantly lower the cost of patient care while improving a patient's lifestyle with increased pharmacological safety, patient mobility and fewer needle sticks. Medipacs is collaborating with the University of Arizona Chemistry Department to develop the first generation commercial prototype in the Phase II project. Broad application of this technology will impact and lower the cost of healthcare not only for millions of infusion patients but also the industry providers. The projected market in the United States alone is greater than $3 billion. The impact to poorer regions though out the world is immeasurable; life-improving drug therapies such as low cost continuous insulin delivery will be enabled and become available for the first time to patients within these regions.