Rapid In Situ Forming PEG Hydrogels for Mucosal Drug Delivery

Introduction: Mucosal tissues present opportunities for drug delivery due to their large surface area and high vascularity. However, natural defense mechanisms in these tissues lead to rapid clearance of administered drugs, reducing efficacy. To address this challenge, we developed hydrogel materials which form rapidly through thiol-pyridyl disulfide exchange. These gels form within 30 seconds under physiological conditions and can adhere to mucosal epithelium, acting as local drug depots for sustained delivery. In addition, bio-reducible linker used in these materials enables natural degradation over days.