The design and synthesis of drug delivery systems suitable to address clinical demands is a major topic of ongoing research efforts. Examples include synthetic as well as natural materials. Compared to “unnatural” polymers, which might accumulate in the body, natural ones such as proteins or polysaccharides benefit of biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and non-immunogenicity which reduces the likelihood of side effects. In this context, dextran-based delivery systems have been studied extensively in the past years.

Dextran was first discovered by Louis Pasteur as a microbial product in wine. The polymer consists of the monomer alpha-D-glucose, mainly linked by alpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds with branches of alpha‑1,2, alpha-1,3, and alpha-1,4 linkages.

Dextran main chain (alpha-1,6-linked glucose moieties) with alpha-1,3-linked side chain.

Besides the above-mentioned advantages of a natural polymer, Dextran can easily be chemically modified and shows excellent solubility in a variety of solvents such as water, DMSO, ethylene glycol, and glycerol. Unlike other polysaccharides, dextran is barely attacked by common amylases and is stable against chemical and enzymatic degradation during transport through the stomach and small intestine. Also, the neutral charge of dextran is another feature that facilitates the delivery efficacy.

Applications for dextran-based materials include imaging, flow cytometry, cancer therapy, pinocytosis, immune-histochemistry, T-cell detection and multiplex assays.

To conjugate or modify dextrans, we offer mono-end-functionalized derivatives (e.g. amine, thiol, biotin) with molecular weights ranging from 10 to 500 kDa. Further derivatives are available on request.

The application panel of dextrans ranges from all types of conjugation for drug and vaccine delivery up to surface modification for diagnostics.

→ For more information about drug delivery technologies, download our brochures about PEGylation and Polymer Therapeutics! 

References:

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