Significance We have developed hemostatic nanoparticles that reduce bleeding and increase survival in both the short term and long term following the complex injuries sustained during blast trauma. This treatment has the potential to be deployed by first responders to save lives.

Background QAQ and DENAQ are synthetic photoswitch compounds that change conformation in response to light, altering current flow through voltage-gated ion channels in neurons. These compounds are drug candidates for restoring light sensitivity in degenerative blinding diseases such as AMD. Purpose However, these photoswitch compounds are cleared from the eye within several days, they must be administered through repeated intravitreal injections. Therefore, we are investigating local, sustained delivery formulations to constantly replenish these molecules and have the potential to restore sight. Methods Here, we encapsulate QAQ and DENAQ into several molecular weights of PLGA through an emulsion technique to assess the viability of delivering the compounds in their therapeutic window over many weeks. We characterize the loading efficiency, release profile, and bioactivity of the compounds after encapsulation. Results A very small burst release was observed for all of the formulations with the majority being delivered over the following two months. The lowest molecular weight PLGA led to the highest loading and most linear delivery for both QAQ and DENAQ. Bioactivity was retained for both compounds across the polymers. Conclusion These results present encapsulation into polymers by emulsion as a viable option for controlled release of QAQ and DENAQ.