Quadratic ODE and PDE Models of Drug Release Kinetics from Biodegradable Polymers

In order to achieve prescribed drug release kinetics over long therapeutic periods, bi-phasic and possibly multi-phasic releases from blends of biodegradable polymers are currently envisioned. The modelling of drug release in the presence of degradation of the polymer matrix and surface erosion is quite complex. Yet, simple reliable mathematical models validated against experimental data are now available to help in classifying neat polymers and in predicting the release dynamics from polymer blends. In this paper, we survey a two-parameter quadratic ODE model that has been validated against experimental data for the release of paclitaxel from a broad range of biodegradable polymers and a quadratic semi-permeable membrane PDE model that mimics the ODE model and could readily be extended to drug eluding stents.