ABSTRACT
Proteins, peptides, and other bioactive macromolecules have great potential as therapeutics due to their high degree of selectivity and potency. The utilization of these molecules as biopharmaceuticals can be, however, very challenging due to their rather unfavorable physico-chemical characteristics
such as large size, relatively low solubility, instability, rapid clearance in plasma, and immunogenicity [1]. Over the past 10 to 15 years, a great deal of work has focused on methods for formulating, delivering, and extending the duration of action of proteins, peptides and oligonucleotides [2]. Increasing plasma half-life has become a focused target for pharmaceutical companies for both new protein therapeutics and second-generation versions of current protein drugs. As many of these molecules are administered parenterally, with half-lives that necessitate once daily or even more frequent dosing, extending the duration of action may have a pronounced effect on the utility of the drug simply by improving patient compliance through convenience.
