Hydrogels with covalently incorporated trehalose are synthesized using thiol-ene Michael addition. Trehalose hydrogels afford prolonged stabilization and -controlled release of model enzymes in vitro and in vivo as well as preservation of protein stability under heat and -lyophilization stressors. Strong and -ordered hydrogen bonding interactions within covalently incorporated trehalose hydrogels represent a possible mechanism for protein stabilization.
Keywords: drug delivery; hydrogels; pharmaceutical excipients; protein stability; trehalose.
© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.