Production of PEGylated Nanocapsules through Solvent Displacement in Confined Impinging Jet Mixers

Dynamic light scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of PEGylated polymer nanocarriers: internal structure and surface properties

In this work, nanospheres and nanocapsules are precipitated in confined impinging jet mixers through solvent displacement and characterized. Acetone and water are used as the solvent and antisolvent, respectively, together with polymethoxypolyethylene glycol cyanoacrylate-co-hexadecylcyanoacrylate and Miglyol as the copolymer and oil, respectively. Characterization is performed with dynamic light scattering, with electrophoretic measurements, and for the first time with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results show that the presence of polyethylene glycol chains seems to be more pronounced on the surface of nanospheres than on that of nanocapsules. The thickness of the copolymer layer in nanocapsules ranges from 1 to 10 nm, depending on the value of the oil:copolymer mass ratio. Fast dilution is confirmed to have a positive effect in suppressing aggregation but can induce further copolymer precipitation.

Lipid-based nanocarriers for drug delivery and targeting: a patent survey of methods of production and characterization

Among the colloidal vectors proposed for the controlled delivery and targeting of drugs and other biologically active compounds, lipid-based nanocarriers are acquiring an increasing role due to a number of peculiar technological and physical features. Solid lipid nanoparticles, lipid nanocapsules, nanostructured lipid carriers, and drug-lipid conjugates are all examples of how it can be possible to combine the properties of the more acknowledged liposomal systems, such as biocompatibility and biodegradability, with the stability and compositional flexibility, distinctive of polymeric nanosystems. This article introduces recent patents, filed in years 2007-2013, that deal with novel or amended methods of production of the various types of lipid-based nanocarriers. Although a significant gap still remains between basic research and patenting activity in this field, many of the proposed methods can attain an industrial value. Furthermore, the critical analysis of these patents further supports the position that a general revision of patenting systems at an international level would be necessary for nanosized pharmaceutical systems.