BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF PEG-MODIFIED AND PM-MODIFIED PROTEINS

Chemical modification of proteins and other bioactive molecules with p olyethylene glycol (PEG) or its derivatives (PM) can be used to tailor molecular properties to particular applications, eliminating disadvan tageous properties or conferring new molecular functions. Complexes of therapeutic proteins and PEG or PM show reduced immunoreactivity, pro longed clearance times and improved biostability. Modification with PE G can also increase the solubility and activity of enzymes in organic solvents, thus extending their potential for application in organic sy ntheses and biotransformation processes.