SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH BRIEF

Poly(lactic acid), or PLA, is a biodegradable, biocompatible polyester commonly used in many medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology products. The molecular weight of PLA can be tailored to impart various degradation kinetics and subsequent release profiles. The ability to make microcapsules with a thin PLA shell, however, is non-existent in the controlled release space. Here, using a proprietary Stratμm^® technology, we have created 50 μm capsules with an aqueous core and thin PLA shell. The microcapsules have implications for encapsulating water-soluble molecules such as peptides and proteins, which can be released with a discrete pulse, or slow ramp in release rate.