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• Aggregates are nanoflex particles that adhere together forming a bulk solid.
• Particles are not bound to each other; the surfaces have a physical attraction to each other.

• Biocompatible material.
• Different routes of application and implantation methods.

• Wide range of physical properties. Hard to soft materials.
• Tailorable drug delivery profiles.

• Formulation flexibility allows incorporation in a broad range of applications.

• Size of the particles and the physical properties of the resulting aggregate can be controlled during the synthesis.
• The in vivo physical properties of the aggregates can be varied to provide material that behaves like adipose tissue, collagen or articular cartilage.
• Molecules can be incorporated into the aggregates during formation for subsequent controlled release
  • Physical properties such as strength and porosity of the aggregates can be varied by changing the nanoparticle size and with subtle changes in the composition ratio of monomers used in polymerization and the crosslink density .

• Nanoflex particles are smaller pieces of larger bulk hydrogels. Nanoparticles - 10-800 nm

• Formed of hydroxy-terminated methacrylate monomers (identical to contact lens materials)
  • 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA)
  • 2-hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA)
• Aqueous Free Radical Polymerization.
• Typically crosslinked by dimethacrylates.
• Particles stabilized as a sol by surfactant.
• Size and physical composition can be controlled during synthesis.

• Aggregates allow deformation and can be molded.
• Elasticity and modulus (stretching and “firmness”) can be varied to provide properties simulating materials such as cartilage or adipose tissue.