Why PEGs?

Poly(ethylene) glycols – or PEGs – are water soluble polymers that are biocompatible and have been used in drug delivery applications for many years. In the last 20 years, PEGs have been conjugated with biopharmaceuticals such as proteins, peptides, and antibody fragments to improve their efficacy as drugs. PEGylation has become the method of choice for the delivery of biopharmaceuticals.

Conjugation requires that the PEG has a reactive group that can link with a functional group (e.g. amines, thiols, carboxylic acids) on the biopharmaceutical.

How PEGs Work

PEGylation increases the half-life of the biomolecule in the body via:

Reduced renal clearance
Reduced proteolysis and immunogenicity for proteins/peptides

The Benefits of PEGs
While the activity of the biopharmaceutical is reduced by PEGylation, the loss in activity is more than compensated for by an increase in half-life. The increased half life can reduce the frequency of injections, increase compliance, and reduce cost of use.

The effectiveness and viability of PEGylation as a drug delivery solution is demonstrated by:

The commercialization of PEG conjugates
The growing number of PEG conjugates in discovery and clinical trials

Find out more about ordering PEGs from Dowpharma. Or, if you have questions, contact us.

To learn more about how PEGs improve the efficiency of biopharmaceuticals, see: P. Caliceti and F.M. Veronese “Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution properties of poly(ethylene) glycol-protein conjugates” Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 55 (2003) 1261.


Why PEGs? Chemistry Analytical Why Dowpharma? Dowpharma PEGs Ordering PEGs Order Summary Checkout Thank You Events Calendar	Why PEGs? Poly(ethylene) glycols – or PEGs – are water soluble polymers that are biocompatible and have been used in drug delivery applications for many years. In the last 20 years, PEGs have been conjugated with biopharmaceuticals such as proteins, peptides, and antibody fragments to improve their efficacy as drugs. PEGylation has become the method of choice for the delivery of biopharmaceuticals. Conjugation requires that the PEG has a reactive group that can link with a functional group (e.g. amines, thiols, carboxylic acids) on the biopharmaceutical. How PEGs Work PEGylation increases the half-life of the biomolecule in the body via: Reduced renal clearance Reduced proteolysis and immunogenicity for proteins/peptides The Benefits of PEGs While the activity of the biopharmaceutical is reduced by PEGylation, the loss in activity is more than compensated for by an increase in half-life. The increased half life can reduce the frequency of injections, increase compliance, and reduce cost of use. The effectiveness and viability of PEGylation as a drug delivery solution is demonstrated by: The commercialization of PEG conjugates The growing number of PEG conjugates in discovery and clinical trials Find out more about ordering PEGs from Dowpharma. Or, if you have questions, contact us. To learn more about how PEGs improve the efficiency of biopharmaceuticals, see: P. Caliceti and F.M. Veronese “Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution properties of poly(ethylene) glycol-protein conjugates” Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 55 (2003) 1261.
	PEGylation Dow Home Privacy Statement Internet Disclaimer Accessibility Statement Site Map Copyright © The Dow Chemical Company (1995-2008). All Rights Reserved.