PLGA or poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) is an Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved copolymer which is used in a host of therapeutic devices, owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. PLGA is synthesized by means of random ring-opening co-polymerization of two different monomers. PLGA Nanoparticles deliver molecules considered too large and complex to transport with known vectors. PLGA is non-toxic, does not illicit an immune response, causes comprehensive transfection, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and supports sustained drug release. Nanoparticles loaded with vTert or nanocircles can be used to treat age-associated diseases and possibly more general problems of aging.

PLGA has been successful as a biodegradable polymer because it undergoes hydrolysis in the body to produce the original monomers, lactic acid and glycolic acid. These two monomers under normal physiological conditions are by-products of various metabolic pathways in the body. Since the body effectively deals with the two monomers, there is very minimal systemic toxicity associated with using PLGA for drug delivery or biomaterial applications. Also, the possibility to tailor the polymer degradation time by altering the ratio of the monomers used during synthesis has made PLGA a common choice in the production of a variety of biomedical devices such as: grafts, sutures, implants and prosthetic devices. As an example, a commercially available drug delivery device using PLGA is Lupron Depot (R) for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.