Sigma-Aldrich announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, to offer its portfolio of RESOMER biodegradable polylactide (PLA) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymers to the research community. Offered under Aldrich Chemistry's Materials Science initiative, RESOMER polymers will be available for use in research and development applications, with a reliable supply of chemically identical GMP materials for scale-up and commercialization made available from Boehringer Ingelheim. The agreement provides an important, seamless supply of polymer products to support biomaterials research.

PLA and PLGA polymers are biodegradable polyesters that degrade in the body by simple hydrolysis of the ester backbone to non-harmful and non-toxic compounds. The degradation products are either excreted by the kidneys or eliminated as carbon dioxide and water through well-known biochemical pathways. Current applications of the polymers include surgical sutures and resorbable implants, with significant interest to further expand the use of these materials to drug encapsulation and delivery applications. Because PLA/PLGA polymers are considered safe, non-toxic and biocompatible by regulatory agencies in virtually all developed countries, additional applications of these materials can be brought to market more quickly and cost effectively than those utilizing a novel polymer with unproven bio-compatibility.

"PLA, PLGA and their copolymers are some of the most frequently used polymer materials studied for biomedical applications with properties that can be tuned by changing the polymer composition within the basic PLA/PLGA theme," said Dr Ilya Koltover, Market Segment Manager for Aldrich Materials Science. "These polymers have been used successfully in a number of approved medical applications, making them a fundamental platform technology for biomaterials research. Through our agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim, we can ensure scientists around the globe a reliable, seamless supply of these high quality materials, from research to GMP to support all phases of drug discovery and development."

The Aldrich RESOMER offer consists of twelve PLA/PLGA copolymers, as well as a related biodegradable polymer poly(dioxanone), with plans for future expansion. The new portfolio complements Aldrich's current selection of polymers for biomedical applications, which includes an extensive offer of functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) PEG polymers and natural biocompatible polymers.