Simultaneously manufactured nano-in-micro (SIMANIM) particles for dry-powder modified-release delivery of antibodies

A Novel Combined Dry Powder Inhaler Comprising Nanosized Ketoprofen-Embedded Mannitol-Coated Microparticles for Pulmonary Inflammations: Development, In Vitro-In Silico Characterization, and Cell Line Evaluation

Pulmonary inflammations such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis are widespread and can be fatal, especially when they are characterized by abnormal mucus accumulation. Inhaled corticosteroids are commonly used for lung inflammations despite their considerable side effects. By utilizing particle engineering techniques, a combined dry powder inhaler (DPI) comprising nanosized ketoprofen-embedded mannitol-coated microparticles was developed. A nanoembedded microparticle system means a novel advance in pulmonary delivery by enhancing local pulmonary deposition while avoiding clearance mechanisms. Ketoprofen, a poorly water-soluble anti-inflammatory drug, was dispersed in the stabilizer solution and then homogenized by ultraturrax. Following this, a ketoprofen-containing nanosuspension was produced by wet-media milling. Furthermore, co-spray drying was conducted with L-leucine (dispersity enhancer) and mannitol (coating and mucuactive agent). Particle size, morphology, dissolution, permeation, viscosity, in vitro and in silico deposition, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory effect were investigated. The particle size of the ketoprofen-containing nanosuspension was ~230 nm. SEM images of the spray-dried powder displayed wrinkled, coated, and nearly spherical particles with a final size of ~2 µm (nano-in-micro), which is optimal for pulmonary delivery. The mannitol-containing samples decreased the viscosity of 10% mucin solution. The results of the mass median aerodynamic diameter (2.4-4.5 µm), fine particle fraction (56-71%), permeation (five-fold enhancement), and dissolution (80% release in 5 min) confirmed that the system is ideal for local inhalation. All samples showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect and decreased IL-6 on the LPS-treated U937 cell line with low cytotoxicity. Hence, developing an innovative combined DPI comprising ketoprofen and mannitol by employing a nano-in-micro approach is a potential treatment for lung inflammations.

A roadmap to pulmonary delivery strategies for the treatment of infectious lung diseases

Pulmonary drug delivery is a highly attractive topic for the treatment of infectious lung diseases. Drug delivery via the pulmonary route offers unique advantages of no first-pass effect and high bioavailability, which provides an important means to deliver therapeutics directly to lung lesions. Starting from the structural characteristics of the lungs and the biological barriers for achieving efficient delivery, we aim to review literatures in the past decade regarding the pulmonary delivery strategies used to treat infectious lung diseases. Hopefully, this review article offers new insights into the future development of therapeutic strategies against pulmonary infectious diseases from a delivery point of view.

Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Lung Drug Delivery

Nanocarriers have been increasingly proposed for lung drug delivery applications. The strategy of combining the intrinsic and more general advantages of the nanostructures with specificities that improve the therapeutic outcomes of particular clinical situations is frequent. These include the surface engineering of the carriers by means of altering the material structure (i.e., chemical modifications), the addition of specific ligands so that predefined targets are reached, or even the tuning of the carrier properties to respond to specific stimuli. The devised strategies are mainly directed at three distinct areas of lung drug delivery, encompassing the delivery of proteins and protein-based materials, either for local or systemic application, the delivery of antibiotics, and the delivery of anticancer drugs-the latter two comprising local delivery approaches. This review addresses the applications of nanocarriers aimed at lung drug delivery of active biological and pharmaceutical ingredients, focusing with particular interest on nanocarriers that exhibit multifunctional properties. A final section addresses the expectations regarding the future use of nanocarriers in the area.

Critical physicochemical attributes of chitosan nanoparticles admixed lactose-PEG 3000 microparticles in pulmonary inhalation

Chitosan nanoparticles are exhalation prone and agglomerative to pulmonary inhalation. Blending nanoparticles with lactose microparticles (∼5 µm) could mutually reduce their agglomeration through surface adsorption phenomenon. The chitosan nanoparticles of varying size, size distribution, zeta potential, crystallinity, shape and surface roughness were prepared by spray drying technique as a function of chitosan, surfactant and processing conditions. Lactose-polyethylene glycol 3000 (PEG3000) microparticles were similarly prepared. The chitosan nanoparticles, physically blended with fine lactose-PEG3000 microparticles, exhibited a comparable inhalation performance with the commercial dry powder inhaler products (fine particle fraction between 20% and 30%). Cascade impactor analysis indicated that the aerosolization and inhalation performance of chitosan nanoparticles was promoted by their higher zeta potential and circularity, and larger size attributes of which led to reduced inter-nanoparticulate aggregation and favored nanoparticles interacting with lactose-PEG3000 micropaticles that aided their delivery into deep and peripheral lungs.

Overcoming multidrug resistance through inhalable siRNA nanoparticles-decorated porous microparticles based on supercritical fluid technology

BACKGROUND

In recent times, the co-delivery therapeutics have garnered enormous interest from researchers in the treatment of cancers with multidrug resistance (MDR) due to their efficient delivery of multiple agents, which result in synergistic effects and capable of overcoming all the obstacles of MDR in cancer. However, an efficient delivery platform is required for the conveyance of diverse agents that can successfully devastate MDR in cancer.

METHODS

Initially, short-interfering RNA-loaded chitosan (siRNA-CS) nanoparticles were synthesized using the ionic gelation method. Further, the siRNA-CS nanoparticles and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) were co-loaded in poly-L-lactide porous microparticles (PLLA PMs) (nano-embedded porous microparticles, [NEPMs]) by the supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) process.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The NEPM formulation exhibited an excellent aerodynamic performance and sustained release of DOX, which displayed higher anticancer efficacy in drug-resistant cells (human small cell lung cancer, H69AR cell line) than those treated with either free DOX and DOX-PLLA PMs due to the siRNA from CS nanoparticles silenced the MDR gene to DOX therapy.

CONCLUSION

This eco-friendly process provides a convenient way to fabricate such innovative NEPMs co-loaded with a chemotherapeutic agent and a gene, which can devastate MDR in cancer through the co-delivery system.

Redispersible spray-dried lipid-core nanocapsules intended for oral delivery: the influence of the particle number on redispersibility

This study proposes a new approach to produce easily redispersible spray-dried lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC) intended for oral administration, evaluating the influence of the particle number density of the fed sample. The proposed approach to develop redispersible spray-dried LNC formulations intended for oral route is innovative, evidencing the needing of an optimization of the initial particle number density in the liquid suspension of nanocapsules. A mixture of maltodextrin and L-leucine (90:10 w/w) was used as drying adjuvant. Dynamic light scattering, turbidimetry, determination of surface area and pore size distribution, electron microscopy and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) were used to characterize the proposed system and to better understand the differences in the redispersion behavior. An easily aqueous redispersion of the spray-dried powder composed of maltodextrin and L-leucine (90:10 w/w) was obtained, depending on the particle number density. Their surface area decreased in the presence of LNC. CRM enabled the visualization of the spatial distribution of the different compounds in the powders affording to better understand the influence of the particle number density of the fed sample on their redispersion behavior. This study shows the need for optimizing initial particle number density in the liquid formulation to develop redispersible spray-dried LNC powders.

Thermo- and pH-responsive nano-in-micro particles for combinatorial drug delivery to cancer cells

Drug combinatorial therapy has been gaining the scientific community attention as a suitable approach to increase treatments efficacy and promote cancer eradication. In this study, a new pH- and thermo- responsive carrier was developed by combining doxorubicin-loaded gold-core silica shell nanorods with salicylic acid loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) based microparticles (NIMPS). The obtained results showed that the drugs and nanorods release could be triggered by the near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation or by the exposition to an acidic environment. The in vitro 2D cell studies showed that the NIMPS are biocompatible and easily uptaken by HeLa cells. In addition, 3D cell culture models revealed that the NIMPS administration, combined with the NIR laser irradiation, was capable of reducing the size of the HeLa spheroids up to 48%. Overall, the attained data support the application of the nano-in-micro spheres as a dual stimuli responsive drug carrier system for the local administration of combined therapies to cervical cancer cells.

Inhaled nano- and microparticles for drug delivery

The 21st century has seen a paradigm shift to inhaled therapy, for both systemic and local drug delivery, due to the lung's favourable properties of a large surface area and high permeability. Pulmonary drug delivery possesses many advantages, including non-invasive route of administration, low metabolic activity, control environment for systemic absorption and avoids first bypass metabolism. However, because the lung is one of the major ports of entry, it has multiple clearance mechanisms, which prevent foreign particles from entering the body. Although these clearance mechanisms maintain the sterility of the lung, clearance mechanisms can also act as barriers to the therapeutic effectiveness of inhaled drugs. This effectiveness is also influenced by the deposition site and delivered dose. Particulate-based drug delivery systems have emerged as an innovative and promising alternative to conventional inhaled drugs to circumvent pulmonary clearance mechanisms and provide enhanced therapeutic efficiency and controlled drug release. The principle of multiple pulmonary clearance mechanisms is reviewed, including mucociliary, alveolar macrophages, absorptive, and metabolic degradation. This review also discusses the current approaches and formulations developed to achieve optimal pulmonary drug delivery systems.

Improving the efficacy of inhaled drugs in cystic fibrosis: challenges and emerging drug delivery strategies

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians associated with early death. Although the faulty gene is expressed in epithelia throughout the body, lung disease is still responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality of CF patients. As a local delivery route, pulmonary administration represents an ideal way to treat respiratory infections, excessive inflammation and other manifestations typical of CF lung disease. Nonetheless, important determinants of the clinical outcomes of inhaled drugs are the concentration/permanence at the lungs as well as the ability of the drug to overcome local extracellular and cellular barriers. This review focuses on emerging delivery strategies used for local treatment of CF pulmonary disease. After a brief description of the disease and formulation rules dictated by CF lung barriers, it describes current and future trends in inhaled drugs for CF. The most promising advanced formulations are discussed, highlighting the advantages along with the major challenges for researchers working in this field.

New perspectives in nanomedicine

Recent advances in nanotechnology have revolutionised all aspects of life, from engineering to cosmetics. One of the most exciting areas of development is that of nanomedicine. Due to their size (less than 100nm in one aspect), nanoparticles exhibit properties that are unlike that of the same material in bulk size. These unique properties are being exploited to create new diagnostics and therapeutics for application in a broad spectrum of organ systems. Indeed, nanoparticles are already being developed as effective carriers of drugs to target regions of the body that were previously hard to access using traditional drug formulation methods. However, in addition to their role as a vehicle for drug delivery, nanoparticles themselves have the potential to have therapeutic benefit. Through manipulation of their elemental composition, size, shape, charge and surface modification or functionalisation it may be possible to target particles to specific organs where they may elicit their therapeutic effect. In this review we will focus on the recent advances in nanotechnology for therapeutic applications with a particular focus on the respiratory system, cancer and vaccinations. In addition we will also address developments in the field of nanotoxicology and the need for concomitant studies in to the toxicity of emerging nanotechnologies. It is possible that the very properties that make nanoparticles a desirable technology for therapeutic intervention may also lead to adverse health effects. It is thus important to determine, and appreciate, the fine balance between the efficacy and toxicity of nanomedicine.

Rapid characterisation of the inherent dispersibility of respirable powders using dry dispersion laser diffraction

Understanding and controlling powder de-agglomeration is of great importance in the development of dry powder inhaler (DPI) products. Dry dispersion laser diffraction measures particle size readily under controlled dispersing conditions, but has not been exploited fully to characterise inherent powder dispersibility. The aim of the study was to utilise particle size-dispersing pressure titration curves to characterise powder cohesivity and ease of de-agglomeration. Seven inhaled drug/excipient powders (beclometasone dipropionate, budesonide, fluticasone propionate, lactohale 300, salbutamol base, salmeterol xinafoate and tofimilast) were subjected to a range of dispersing pressures (0.2-4.5 Bar) in the Sympatec HELOS/RODOS laser diffractometer and particle size measurements were recorded. Particle size-primary pressure data were used to determine the pressures required for complete de-agglomeration. The latter were employed as an index of the cohesive strength of the powder (critical primary pressure; CPP), and the curves were modelled empirically to derive the pressure required for 50% de-agglomeration (DA₅₀). The powders presented a range of CPP (1.0-3.5 Bar) and DA₅₀ (0.23-1.45 Bar) which appeared to be characteristic for different mechanisms of powder de-agglomeration. This approach has utility as a rapid pre-formulation tool to measure inherent powder dispersibility, in order to direct the development strategy of DPI products.

Pulmonary delivery of inhalable nanoparticles: dry powder inhalers

Pulmonary administration of inhalable nanoparticles (NPs) is an emerging area of interest. Dry powder inhalers may offer particular advantages for pulmonary administration of NPs. This article reviews research performed on the formulation of inhalable NPs as dry powder to achieve deep-lung deposition and enhance NP redispersibility. Moreover, the article summarizes up-to-date in vivo applications of inhalable NPs as dry powder inhalers.

Intact nanoparticulate indomethacin in fast-dissolving carrier particles by combined wet milling and aerosol flow reactor methods

PURPOSE

Drug development is often hindered by a drug's low dissolution rate. We present a method to increase dissolution rate of a drug powder by producing crystalline nanoparticles that are dispersed in carrier microparticles.

METHODS

Indomethacin crystals of a few hundred nanometers are prepared by media milling using poloxamer 188 as a stabilizer. Nanoparticles are embedded into microparticles with a mannitol matrix and an L-leucine coating layer using an aerosol flow reactor method.

RESULTS

Microparticles stabilize the primary nanoparticles in an intact crystalline form and release them when re-dispersed in aqueous medium. Secondary microparticle structure dissolves rapidly, resulting in a fast release and dissolution of indomethacin. In this manner, it is possible to change the surface layer of the particles from the one needed for nanoparticle production to one more suitable for process formulation of pharmaceuticals for, e.g., tablet or pulmonary products.

CONCLUSIONS

Particle assemblies where nano-sized crystalline drug domains are embedded in solid microparticles are presented. The present work is a promising approach towards a "nanos-in-micros" concept as a tool for pharmaceutical nanoparticle processing.

Engineering gas-foamed large porous particles for efficient local delivery of macromolecules to the lung

Gas-foamed large porous particles (gfLPP) based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) have been recently suggested as potential carriers for pulmonary drug delivery. In this work, we attempt to engineer gfLPP for efficient local delivery of macromolecules in the lungs. Particles were fabricated by the double emulsion-solvent evaporation technique using ammonium bicarbonate as porogen. To improve particle technological properties, two lipid aid excipients, namely dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP), were tested. Preliminary technological studies performed on unloaded gfLPP showed that the addition of an appropriate amount of NH(4)(HCO(3)), which spontaneously produces CO(2) and NH(3) during solvent evaporation, is essential to achieve a homogeneous population of highly porous particles with optimal aerodynamic properties. Then, the effect of the presence of DPPC or DOTAP upon the properties of gfLPP containing a model hydrophilic macromolecule, rhodamine B isothiocyanate-dextran (Rhod-dex), was assessed. We found that in the case of hydrophilic macromolecules unable to interact with PLGA end-groups, such as Rhod-dex, excipient addition is essential to increase the amount of drug entrapped within gfLPP, being as high as 80% only for DPPC- or DOTAP-engineered gfLPP. Also Rhod-dex release profile from gfLPP was strongly affected by excipient addition in the initial formulation, with lipid-engineered gfLPP allowing for a more prolonged release of Rhod-dex as compared to excipient-free gfLPP. A further modulation of Rhod-dex initial release rate could be achieved when DOTAP was used, likely due to the electrostatic interactions occurring between macromolecule and cationic phospholipid. Conceiving the developed gfLPP for drug inhalation, DPPC- and DOTAP-engineered gfLPP displayed optimal MMAD(exp) values falling within the range 6.1-7.6 microm and very low geometric standard deviations (GSD) varying between 1.2 and 1.3. In vivo deposition studies performed after intra-tracheal administration of gfLPP in rats confirmed the ability of the developed dry powders to deposit along bronchia and bronchioles. In perspective, lipid-engineered gfLPP represent a viable alternative to LPP developed so far to achieve local and prolonged release of hydrophilic macromolecules, such as nucleic acids, in the lungs.