A fiber distribution model for predicting drug release rates

Abstract

Sustained drug release can be achieved by loading a drug into polymer material. The drug release can then be controlled for potential use in various biomedical applications. A model for drug release from a polymeric fibrous scaffold, which takes into account the distribution of fiber diameters within its structure, is developed here. It is demonstrated that the fiber diameter distribution significantly affects the drug release profile from electrospun scaffolds. The developed model indicates that altering the fiber distribution can be used as an additional tool to achieve an appropriate drug release profile. Using published data, it was demonstrated that an application of the model allows a more precise calculation of the drug diffusion coefficient within the polymer, which is important for predicting drug release rates from fabricated materials.