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Nanomedicine and Nanoscale Delivery (Focus Group – NND)

Long-Term In Vitro Release from Amphiphilic Porous PDMS Membranes in Soft Implantable Drug Delivery Devices

Sohee Kim – Professor, Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)
Introduction:

Previously, we developed an ultrasoft implantable drug delivery device for long-term controlled release with reduced foreign body responses vs. conventional reservoir-based systems [1]. However, rhodamine B was the only compound released through native polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes, limiting broader applicability. Subsequent integration of porous PDMS patches enabled release of clinically relevant drugs, including doxorubicin, but PDMS hydrophobicity caused delayed onset and inconsistent release [2]. To address this, we developed an amphiphilic porous PDMS membrane [3]. Here, we evaluate its long-term in vitro release kinetics integrated into a soft drug delivery device.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand how amphiphilic membrane design and pore architecture regulate long term release in implantable devices
  • Evaluate the role of BCP incorporation in improving release onset, reproducibility, and device performance.
  • Explain how membrane thickness and pore size enable tunable release kinetics over extended durations.