From PEG to rPEGs: A unique building block in next generation lipid nanoparticles

Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic marked the start of a medical revolution – that of mRNA technology. As the significance of RNA and nucleic acid technology becomes clear, so too does the role of lipids and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which ensure the safe delivery of the unstable RNA-based active ingredients into cells.

Researchers from the University of Mainz in Germany are studying ways to modify the polyethylene glycol (PEG) lipids that form part of LNPs to improve drug efficacy and immune response. In this webinar, technical experts will introduce these new PGME polymers, poly(glycidyl methyl ether), as a highly promising alternative to standard PEGs for use in RNA delivery. Furthermore, they will highlight current advances in leveraging these so-called rPEGs (randomized PEGs) in LNP-based delivery systems.

Key learnings for participants:

Overview of PEGs and PEGylation
PEG alternatives: redesigning medical PEGs
Introduction to rPEGs and supporting data
LNP formulation opportunities with rPEGs

Experts featuring this session

Dr. Thomas Endres
Manager New Products & Materials
Evonik Health Care
Vita

Thomas Endres is an expert in polymeric excipients for oral and parenteral dosage forms and has extensive experience in the management of innovation and customer projects.

Thomas joined Evonik in 2012 and has held roles as project manager in the R&D department in Germany, and as biomaterials manager in the U.S.

He studied macromolecular chemistry before completing his doctoral research in polymer chemistry at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Marburg in Germany.

Prof. Dr. Holger Frey
Professor of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Vita

Holger Frey studied Chemistry at the University of Freiburg. Following a stay at Carnegie Mellon-University with Kris Matyjaszewski (Pittsburgh, USA) he obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Twente (NL).

After his Habilitation (University of Freiburg, 1998) on polycarbosilanes he moved to the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz in 2001. Since 2003 he holds a full professorship in Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry there.

His research is directed at novel linear and branched functional polymer structures, microreactor-based syntheses and biomedical materials in general. Specifically he studies and develops epoxide-polymerizations as well as carbanionic polymerizations.

To date he and his research group have published 370 peer-reviewed original research articles and reviews (H-index 71 according to google scholar). He is an associate editor of the RSC Journal “Polymer Chemistry”.

Related webinars in this series

This is the first webinar of our three-part webinar series entitled "Lipids in Focus: Unleashing the Power of RNA Therapeutics".

To learn more about the two other webinars in this series please click on the respective webinar below. To register for multiple webinars of this series simply select them in the registration form.