Patent ID: 9381217
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: A61K

Claim Text:
1. A method of encapsulating cargo in a microgel droplet comprising flowing a macromer phase, an oil phase, and a crosslinker phase through a flow focusing nozzle of a microfluidic device to form microgel droplets by oil and water emulsion, wherein the macromer phase comprises a macromer and a cargo in aqueous buffer; the oil phase comprises an oil-phase oil and an oil-phase surfactant; and the crosslinker phase comprises a crosslinker-phase oil, a crosslinker-phase surfactant, and a crosslinking agent, wherein the phases are pumped, injected, or passaged through the microfluidic device such that as the macromer phase approaches the flow focusing nozzle, the co-flowing oil phase shields the macromer from contact with the crosslinker phase until flow instability occurs and macromer phase droplets forms, wherein after flow instability occurs, the crosslinker diffuses from the crosslinker phase into the droplets in an effective amount to covalently crosslink the macromer into a microgel droplet encapsulating the cargo, and wherein the crosslinking is not ultraviolet (UV) initiated photopolymerization.