Akina
FAQ

Polymer Frequently Asked Questions

Block polymers and biodegradable polymers

Technical FAQ

Sales FAQ

Applications

Technical FAQ

  • Will your polymer(s) work for my application?

    Without detailed information about your application, and in some cases even with great detailed information about your application, we cannot tell you for certain. Polymers from PolySciTech are utilized for medical and biochemical research. Popular applications include micelles, thermoreversible gels, solid formulations (coating, nanoparticles, etc.) and drug delivery. By no means are these the only applications. Ground-breaking research is being performed on these polymers daily and so applications of these polymers are continually expanding. Recent research utilizing these types of polymer for these various applications can be found below on our Publications page.

     

  • PLA, PLGA, PEG, biodegra...what? I'm a specialist in (insert field here) but I need to start from scratch on these polymers.

    The polymers listed below are utilized for biomedical implants and drug delivery. These polymers include two main types of units, biodegradable and water soluble. We have some helpful information to get you started:

     

    Polymers University: User-friendly videos and technical information to introduce the basic concepts of polymer technology, biodegration, and popular applications.

     

    Below are technical sites for different categories of information:
    Everypolymer: introducing polymer types and properties
    NormalPolymer: conventional polyesters.
    LazyPolymer: biodegradation and hydrolysis
    Polymermicelles: micellization and drug-dissolution.
    Uncommon Polymer: Decorated nanoparticles
    Thermogels: Thermogelation

     

    A special Note about PEG
    The water soluble unit in several polymers includes poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG). PEG is noted for good biocompatibility with a low immunogenic response (See: Alteration of Immunological Properties of Bovine Serum Albumin by Covalent Attachment of Polyethylene Glycol). Although PEG is not biodegradable on any meaningful time scale, it can be screened out of the body by the kidneys and excreted as long as its molecular weight is less than 10,000 Da*. These units compromise one or more blocks depending on whether the polymer is a diblock (one polyethylene glycol arm and one biodegradable arm) or a triblock (two biodegradable arms on either side of the polyethylene glycol arm).

     

  • Have these polymers (or similar ones) been involved in any clinical trials yet?

    Yes, there are currently clinical trials underway utilizing PEG-PLA as a means to deliver Genexol-PM. See: Phase I and Pharmacokinetic Study of Genexol-PM, a CremophorFree, Polymeric Micelle-Formulated Paclitaxel, in Patients with Advanced Malignancies

     

  • Are your materials GMP?

    At this time PolySciTech® lacks the in-house capability to generate GMP grade materials directly. If you are interested in GMP non-block polyesters and other GMP polymers/materials please contact Corbion Purac.

     

  • Can you synthesize different materials than what we see in the catalog?

    Yes, often you can choose if you want this as a customer request or a custom synthesis. The difference is in a customer request we simply manufacture then sell it to you at list price and add the remainder of the batch to our catalog. In the case of custom synthesis you will have either the entire batch or the remainder of the batch will not be sold and so the chemical will be exclusively yours. If you do not require exclusivity of the batch then this can be generated as a customer request which is a less expensive route.

     

  • Can customers request a specific form of the polymer?

    Unless otherwise specified, polymer is provided just in raw form as either powder or chunks (<1 cm). If you want the material as a different form (e.g. ground small or cast into a sheet), contact us and we can work to make sure to provide it in the form you need.

     

  • Who is PolySciTech® affiliated with?

    PolySciTech® is the research polymer and materials division of Akina, Inc., which was founded by Dr. Kinam Park in 2001 and is located in West Lafayette, Indiana.

     

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Sales FAQ

  • How do I order?

    Contact Akina Sales (salesakinainc@gmail.com, (765) 464-0390) or purchase directly through the online catalog. We ship polymers overnight in cold packs (insulated containers) flushed with argon to assure they stay cool and fresh. Typical turn-around time on orders of in-stock materials is 1 business day. Out-of-stock materials may take 3-5 weeks for synthesis.

     

  • How is payment handled?

    See Terms of Payment of our Terms and Conditions.

     

  • Can I request custom synthesis?

    Yes, Akina Inc. does perform custom synthesis. Price and availability will depend on the product you are requesting. See Custom Synthesis of our Terms and Conditions for more details.

     

  • What are your standard terms and conditions?

    Click here to see the list of standard terms and conditions.

     

  • Do you provide free samples?

    Given the cost of the materials we cannot as a policy provide free samples.

     

  • Do you offer discounts to universities?

    You can see more about our discounts on our discounts page.

     

  • Do you ship to (insert country here)?

    Yes, we ship to any country that is serviced by UPS or Fedex, and banks. Additionally, we have several regional and international distributors.

     

  • Is there a minimum order for custom synthesis?

    Yes, the minimum order for custom synthesis is as specified on the quote.

     

  • What is the lead time to receive my order?

    Orders placed before noon EST can be shipped out same-day. In the event the material is out of stock, we will contact you regarding the delay. Time to receipt will depend on shipping method selected and location.

     

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