Session: 06-11-01: Biotechnology and General Applications

Paper Number: 139960

139960 - Enhancing Consistency and Controllability in Ph-Sensitive Polymer Films: Investigating the Efficacy of Near-Infrared Light Curing in Targeted Drug Delivery Applications 

Environmentally sensitive polymer films are used in a variety of ingestible medical devices. These films can remain rigid and impermeable under certain environmental conditions (low pH) and then dissolve under different conditions (high pH). pH-sensitive polymer films can be used in gastrointestinal (GI) targeted drug delivery applications in pre-specified intestinal regions due to the natural dynamic pH signature of the GI tract. To ensure that films dissolve in their intended location, the dissolution profile of these films must be controllable and predictable. Current manufacturing methods of these polymer films can lead to inconsistent thickness, which can negatively affect the predictability of their dissolution profile. This study aims to address the issue of inconsistent thickness observed in pH-sensitive polymer films and the effect that has on films’ ability to localize accurately. We hypothesize that curing films using Near-Infrared (NIR) light results in improved film consistency and predictable thicknesses, leading to predictable film dissolution times. Two sets of experiments were conducted: one to compare the thickness consistency of films cured with NIR light versus ambient conditions, and another to examine the relationship between film thickness and dissolution time. In the first experiment, the thickness of films from both groups was measured at multiple locations across the film. A statistical analysis was then performed to see how curing method affects the variation in thickness across a single film. In the second experiment, films with different thicknesses were exposed to a phosphate buffer solution to measure their time to dissolution. From the analysis, we observed that the NIR-cured films exhibited a 2.5x lower standard deviation in inter-film thickness compared to air-cured films. When film regions of identical thickness were exposed to identical environments, films from both groups exhibited a similar dissolution profile, verifying the efficacy of NIR curing. It was also observed that film dissolution time appeared to be more dependent on the initial volume of pre-cured liquid polymer solution rather than the post-cured final film thickness. Our results suggest that the use of NIR light in the curing process can significantly improve the consistency and predictability of pH-sensitive polymer films, making them more suitable for targeted drug delivery applications. The process of NIR curing also reduced film manufacturing time by 95%. Further research could focus on optimizing NIR exposure parameters and exploring long-term stability of the films. This study presents a promising avenue for quality control in the in the field of targeted drug delivery, by enhancing the consistency and controllability of pH-sensitive polymer films through NIR technology. Additionally, for the first time, we have refined and documented a complete process for curing the polymer film solutions by using NIR light.

Presenting Author: Luke Taylor Brigham Young University

Presenting Author Biography: Luke Taylor is a master's student in the mechanical engineering department at Brigham Young University, working under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Terry. He also received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University. His research surrounds various medical device technology innovations, specifically in the gastrointestinal region.

Authors:

Luke Taylor Brigham Young University
Gregory Hirst Brigham Young University
Benjamin Terry Brigham Young University