Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a hydrophilic polymer widely used in medicine. Its high water solubility, flexible chain structure, and diverse options for
China has also continued to make progress in
PEG takes different forms and serves different roles across applications. It may be used directly as a formulation excipient, covalently attached to an active molecule, or incorporated into delivery systems such as liposomes, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and hydrogels. Short PEG or oligoethylene glycol (OEG) of defined length can also serve as a linker or hydrophilic spacer between functional modules.
Current pharmaceutical applications of PEG fall into the following main categories:
- (1) Protein and peptide modification. PEG is covalently attached to proteins, peptides, or their prodrugs to modulate drug stability, exposure in vivo, and release.
- (2) Precision linkers.
Defined-length PEG or OEG connects peptides, lipids, and other functional groups to control spacing, hydrophilicity, and structural consistency. - (3) ADC linkers. PEG or OEG segments are incorporated into the linkage between an antibody and its payload to improve linker hydrophilicity and modulate the conjugate’s overall properties.
- (4) Liposomes and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). PEG lipids contribute to particle surfaces, assist formulation assembly, and modulate colloidal stability and behavior in vivo.
- (5) Other
sustained-release carriers. PEG is incorporated into hydrogels or copolymers to form local drug depots and regulate release.
The following tables summarize applications of PEG and OEG in approved medicines and delivery formulations in China and internationally. They present representative products, their PEG or OEG structures, and their main functions, together with updates on selected investigational programs.
Table 1 Representative Applications of PEG and OEG in Medicines and Delivery Formulations

Application Category | Brand and Generic Name | Company | PEG Structure or Linkage | Main Application | Year of First FDA Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Protein and peptide modification | Yuviwel — navepegritide | Ascendis | Two sets of branched | Achondroplasia | 2026; accelerated approval |
Loargys — | Immedica | Arginase modified at multiple sites with | Arginase 1 deficiency | 2026 | |
Yipeisheng — PEGylated growth hormone | Xiamen Amoytop Biotech | Growth hormone modified with one | Growth failure due to growth hormone deficiency in children aged 3 years and older | 2025; China NMPA | |
Yorvipath — palopegteriparatide | Ascendis | Approximately | Hypoparathyroidism | 2024 | |
Zilbrysq — zilucoplan | UCB | Generalized myasthenia gravis | 2023 | ||
Elfabrio — pegunigalsidase | Chiesi / Protalix | An average of approximately nine | Fabry disease | 2023 | |
Syfovre — pegcetacoplan | Apellis | Approximately | Geographic atrophy secondary to | 2023 | |
Rolvedon — | Spectrum / Hanmi | Reduction in the risk of | 2022 | ||
Besremi — ropeginterferon | PharmaEssentia | Interferon modified with approximately | Polycythemia vera | 2021 | |
Skytrofa — | Ascendis | Approximately | Growth hormone deficiency | 2021 | |
Empaveli — pegcetacoplan | Apellis | Approximately | Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and other indications | 2021 | |
Esperoct — turoctocog alfa pegol | Novo Nordisk | Hemophilia A | 2019 | ||
Fulaimei — polyethylene glycol loxenatide | Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical | Approximately | Glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes | 2019; China NMPA | |
Palynziq — | BioMarin | Phenylalanine ammonia lyase modified at multiple sites with individual | Phenylketonuria | 2018 | |
Revcovi — | Leadiant | Recombinant adenosine deaminase covalently modified with mPEG | Severe combined immunodeficiency associated with ADA deficiency | 2018 | |
Asparlas — calaspargase | Servier | Asparaginase modified with approximately | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia | 2018 | |
Jivi — damoctocog alfa pegol | Bayer | Factor VIII modified with | Hemophilia A | 2018 | |
Rebinyn — nonacog beta pegol | Novo Nordisk | Hemophilia B | 2017 | ||
Pegberon — peginterferon | Xiamen Amoytop Biotech | Recombinant human interferon | Chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C in adults | 2016; China, former CFDA | |
Adynovate — rurioctocog alfa pegol | Baxalta / Takeda | Factor VIII modified with individual | Hemophilia A | 2015 | |
Plegridy — peginterferon | Biogen | Interferon modified with | Relapsing multiple sclerosis | 2014 | |
Omontys — peginesatide | Affymax / Takeda | Anemia associated with chronic kidney disease | 2012; approval withdrawn | ||
Sylatron — peginterferon | Merck | Interferon modified with | Adjuvant treatment of melanoma | 2011; discontinued | |
Krystexxa — pegloticase | Savient | Uricase modified at multiple sites with individual | Chronic gout refractory to conventional treatment | 2010 | |
Cimzia — certolizumab pegol | UCB | Inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis | 2008 | ||
Mircera — methoxy | Roche | Erythropoietin modified with approximately | Anemia associated with chronic kidney disease | 2007 | |
Somavert — pegvisomant | Pfizer | Growth hormone receptor antagonist modified with individual | Acromegaly | 2003 | |
Neulasta — pegfilgrastim | Amgen | Reduction in the risk of | 2002 | ||
Pegasys — peginterferon | Roche | Interferon modified with approximately | Chronic hepatitis B and C | 2002 | |
Pegintron — peginterferon | Schering / Merck | Interferon modified with | Chronic hepatitis C | 2001; discontinued | |
Oncaspar — pegaspargase | Enzon | Asparaginase modified at multiple sites with individual | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia | 1994 | |
Adagen — pegademase bovine | Enzon | Bovine adenosine deaminase modified with approximately | Severe combined immunodeficiency associated with ADA deficiency | 1990; discontinued | |
PEGylated growth factors | Ennumo — | Accord BioPharma | Approximately | Prevention of | 2026 |
Armlupeg — | Lupin | Approximately | 2025 | ||
Stimufend — | Fresenius Kabi | Approximately | 2022 | ||
Fylnetra — | Amneal | Approximately | 2022 | ||
Nyvepria — | Pfizer | Approximately | 2020 | ||
Ziextenzo — | Sandoz | Approximately | 2019 | ||
Udenyca — | Coherus | Approximately | 2018 | ||
Fulphila — | Mylan / Biocon | Approximately | 2018 | ||
Nucleic acid aptamers | Izervay — avacincaptad pegol | Iveric Bio / Astellas | Approximately | Geographic atrophy | 2023 |
Macugen — pegaptanib sodium | Eyetech / Pfizer | Approximately | Wet | 2004; discontinued | |
Small molecules and short OEG | Movantik — naloxegol | AstraZeneca / Nektar | 2014 | ||
Asclera — polidocanol | Kreussler | C12 alkyl group with a polyoxyethylene chain averaging approximately 9 repeat units; average molecular weight of the whole molecule approximately | Sclerotherapy of spider and reticular veins of the lower limbs | 2010 | |
Varithena — polidocanol injectable foam | Biocompatibles | Same polyoxyethylene structure as polidocanol; foam formulation | Certain varicose veins of the lower limbs | 2013 | |
Lipidated peptide drugs with short OEG spacers | Ozempic / Rybelsus / Wegovy — semaglutide | Novo Nordisk | Two | Type 2 diabetes or weight management, depending on the brand | 2017 / 2019 / 2021 |
Mounjaro / Zepbound — tirzepatide | Eli Lilly | Two | Type 2 diabetes or weight management, depending on the brand | 2022 / 2023 | |
Awiqli — insulin | Novo Nordisk | Lipid side chain containing two | Type 2 diabetes in adults | 2026 | |
ADCs with PEG linkers | Trodelvy — sacituzumab | Immunomedics / Gilead | CL2A linker containing PEG8; | Certain breast cancers | 2020 |
Zynlonta — loncastuximab | ADC Therapeutics | Tesirine linker containing PEG8; PBD dimer payload | Relapsed or refractory large | 2021 | |
Dextenza — dexamethasone insert | Ocular Therapeutix | Postoperative ocular inflammation and pain and other indications | 2018 | ||
Uzedy — risperidone | Teva / MedinCell | Copolymer containing PEG and polylactide segments for a | Schizophrenia and other indications | 2023 | |
Sustol — granisetron | Heron | Prevention of | 2016; discontinued | ||
Doxil — liposomal doxorubicin | Sequus | Ovarian cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma, multiple myeloma, and other indications | 1995 | ||
Onivyde — liposomal irinotecan | Merrimack | Pancreatic adenocarcinoma | 2015 | ||
Onpattro — patisiran | Alnylam | Polyneuropathy associated with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis | 2018 | ||
Comirnaty — | BioNTech / Pfizer | Prevention of | 2021 | ||
Spikevax — | Moderna | Prevention of | 2022 | ||
mResvia — RSV vaccine | Moderna | Prevention of | 2024 | ||
mNexspike — | Moderna | Prevention of | 2025 | ||
mFlusiva — influenza mRNA vaccine | Moderna | Prevention of influenza in people aged 50 years and older | 2026 | ||
Yuxi Walvax, a subsidiary of Walvax Biotechnology | Prevention of | 2026; China NMPA | |||
Intismeran autogene (V940 / | Merck / Moderna | Personalized cancer immunotherapy under investigation as adjuvant treatment after melanoma surgery | Not yet approved; Phase 3 success |
Note: Unless otherwise specified, approval years refer to the first full approval by the US FDA. Entries marked "China" give the year of first approval in China. V940 is an investigational program.
In addition to drug modification and delivery carrier construction, PEG can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient, an active ingredient with a direct therapeutic effect, and a medical material. Representative applications are listed below.
Table 2 Representative Uses of PEG as a Formulation Excipient Active Ingredient and Medical Material

Application Category | Product | PEG Type | Main Role or Use | FDA Approval Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Formulation excipients | PEG 400 and PEG 8000 | Oral formulation of ultramicrosize griseofulvin; PEG serves as a formulation excipient | 1975 | |
Targretin — bexarotene capsules | PEG 400 | Component of the soft capsule fill in oral bexarotene formulations | 1999 | |
Busulfex — busulfan injection | PEG 400 | Forms the solvent system for busulfan injection together with other solvents | 1999 | |
Walvax | Used in the LNP delivery system of Yuxi Walvax’s | 2026; China CDE associated review, status A | ||
Active ingredients | MiraLax | PEG 3350 | Osmotic laxative; PEG itself is the active ingredient | 1999 |
GoLYTELY | PEG 3350 and electrolytes | Bowel cleansing before colon examination; distinct from use as an ordinary formulation excipient | 1984 | |
Excipients for contrast agents | Lumason — sulfur hexafluoride microspheres | PEG 4000 | Sulfur hexafluoride microbubble ultrasound contrast agent; PEG is a free excipient in the formulation | 2014 |
Definity — perflutren lipid microspheres | Perflutren microbubble ultrasound contrast agent; the PEG lipid forms part of the microbubble shell | 2001 | ||
Hydrogel sealants | CoSeal Surgical Sealant | Two reactive PEG derivatives that crosslink upon mixing to form a hydrogel | Adjunctive hemostasis and mechanical sealing in vascular reconstruction | 2001 |
DuraSeal Dural Sealant System | PEG ester crosslinked with trilysine to form a hydrogel | Adjunctive watertight dural closure after suturing in cranial surgery | 2005 |
Precision Polymer Products and Custom Synthesis
From
The following are Precision Polymer’s product categories and selected representative products:
Monofunctional Precision PEG
Methoxy-PEG-Hydroxyl
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-Amine
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-Carboxyl
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-Maleimide
Available n values:
Cyclic PEG with a PEG Arm and Terminal Hydroxyl
Available n values:
Bifunctional Precision PEG
Hydroxyl-PEG-Hydroxyl
Available n values:
Amine-PEG-Amine
Available n values:
Thiol-PEG-Thiol
Available n values:
Amine-PEG-Carboxyl
Available n values:
Maleimide-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Fmoc-Protected Amine-PEG-Carboxyl
Available n values:
Tosylate-PEG-Tosylate
Available n values:
Multifunctional Precision PEG
Y-Shaped Two-Arm Methoxy-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Y-Shaped Two-Arm Methoxy-PEG-Maleimide
Available n values:
Four-Arm PEG-Hydroxyl
Available n values:
Four-Arm PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Four-Arm PEG-Thiol
Available n values:
Eight-Arm PEG-Maleimide
Available n values:
Precision PEG ADC Linkers
Maleimide-PEG-Val-Cit-PAB-OH
Available n values:
Maleimide-PEG-Val-Ala-PAB-PNP
Available n values:
Maleimide-PEG-Gly-Gly-Phe-Gly-Carboxyl
Available n values:
Maleimide-PEG-Disulfide-Carboxyl
Available n values:
Amine-PEG-Val-Cit-PAB-OH
Available n values:
DBCO-PEG-Val-Cit-PAB-OH
Available n values:
Precision PEG Lipids and Excipients
Methoxy-PEG-DSPE
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-DMG
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-DMA
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-DPPE
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-Cholesterol
Available n values:
Maleimide-PEG-DSPE
Available n values:
Cyclic PEG with a PEG Arm and Terminal DSPE
Available n values:
Polysorbate 80
Precision PEG Block Copolymers
Methoxy-PEG-block-poly(D,L-lactide)
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-block-polycaprolactone
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-block-poly(trimethylene carbonate)
Available n values:
Methoxy-PEG-block-polysarcosine
Available n values:
Other Precision Polymers
Precision Polyglycerol
Available n values:
Precision Poly(D,L-lactide)
Available n values:
Precision Polysarcosine
Available n values:
DSPE-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)
Available n values:
Fluorescent Dyes
Fluorescein-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Cy3-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Cy5-PEG-Maleimide
Available n values:
Cy7-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
Click Chemistry Reagents
Amine-PEG-Azide
Available n values:
Alkyne-PEG-Hydroxyl
Available n values:
DBCO-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values:
TCO-PEG-NHS Ester
Available n values: