Poly(ethylene glycol) Immunogenicity

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) based hydrogels are a key component of several FDA-approved medical devices and are among the most popular materials being investigated for regenerative engineering. Although PEG is often viewed as a biologically inert material, studies have shown that a significant percentage of the population has circulating antibodies against PEG, and concerns over PEG immunogenicity are growing. 

We are conducting pioneering studies on the impact of anti-PEG immune reactions on the host response to PEG hydrogels and the efficacy of PEG hydrogel-based regenerative engineering therapies. Using a mouse model, we recently found that high anti-PEG titers significantly impacted bone defect regeneration when PEG-based hydrogels were used to deliver an osteoinductive growth factor. Studies to better understand how the immune response to PEG hydrogels is altered and the effects of PEG hydrogel properties are ongoing. This work is currently supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences through 1R01GM147821.