Emulsion‐Induced Polymersomes Taming Tetrodotoxin for Prolonged Duration Local Anesthesia

Injectable local anesthetics that can provide a continuous nerve block approximating the duration of a pain state would be a life-changing solution for patients experiencing post-operative pain or chronic pain. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a site 1 sodium channel blocker that is extremely potent compared to clinically used local anesthetics. Challengingly, TTX doses are limited by its associated systemic toxicity, thus shortening the achievable duration of nerve blocks. Here, we explore emulsion-induced polymersomes (EIP) as a drug delivery system to safely use TTX for local anesthesia. By emulsifying hyperbranched polyglycerol-poly (propylene glycol)-hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG-PPG-HPG) in TTX aqueous solution, HPG-PPG-HPG self-assembled into micrometer-sized polymersomes within seconds. The formed polymersomes have microscopically visible internal aqueous pockets that encapsulate TTX with an encapsulation efficiency of up to 94%. Moreover, the polymersomes are structurally stable, enabling sustained TTX release.