In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Drug Nanoparticles Prepared Using PureNano™ Continuous Crystallizer to Improve the Bioavailability of Poorly Water Soluble Drugs

Examine stability polyvinyl alcohol-stabilized nanosuspensions to overcome the challenge of poor drug solubility utilizing molecular dynamic simulation

The pharmaceutical industry faces a significant challenge from the low water solubility of nearly 90% of newly developed Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Despite extensive efforts to improve solubility, approximately 40% of these APIs encounter commercialization hurdles, impacting drug efficacy. In this context, a promising strategy will be introduced in which nanosuspensions, particularly polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a stabilizer, are applied to increase drug solubility. In this work using molecular dynamics simulations, the nanosuspension of four poorly water-soluble drugs (flurbiprofen, bezafibrate, miconazole, and phenytoin) stabilized with PVA is investigated. The simulation data showed van der Waals energies between polyvinyl alcohol with flurbiprofen and bezafibrate are - 101.12 and - 58.42 kJ/mol, respectively. The results indicate that PVA is an effective stabilizer for these drugs, and superior interactions are obtained with flurbiprofen and bezafibrate. The study also explores the impact of PVA on water molecule diffusion, providing insights into the stability of nanosuspensions. Obtained results also provide valuable insights into hydrogen bond formation, diffusion coefficients, and nanosuspension stability, contributing to the rational design and optimization of pharmaceutical formulations.

Microfluidic synthesis of lipid-based nanoparticles for drug delivery: recent advances and opportunities

Microfluidic technologies are revolutionizing the synthesis of nanoscale lipid particles and enabling new opportunities for the production of lipid-based nanomedicines. By harnessing the benefits of microfluidics for controlling diffusive and advective transport within microfabricated flow cells, microfluidic platforms enable unique capabilities for lipid nanoparticle synthesis with precise and tunable control over nanoparticle properties. Here we present an assessment of the current state of microfluidic technologies for lipid-based nanoparticle and nanomedicine production. Microfluidic techniques are discussed in the context of conventional production methods, with an emphasis on the capabilities of microfluidic systems for controlling nanoparticle size and size distribution. Challenges and opportunities associated with the scaling of manufacturing throughput are discussed, together with an overview of emerging microfluidic methods for lipid nanomedicine post-processing. The impact of additive manufacturing on current and future microfluidic platforms is also considered.

Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin Enhances Oral Absorption of Silymarin Nanoparticles Prepared Using PureNano™ Continuous Crystallizer

The oral bioavailability of drugs is limited by factors such as poor membrane permeability, low solubility, and low dissolution rate. Silymarin (SLM) is a health-food active ingredient that is good for immunosuppression and tumor suppression. However, obtaining a good oral bioavailability is difficult owing to its poor solubility and low dissolution ability. To overcome these concerns, we previously prepared SLM nanoparticles (NPs) using the high-pressure crystallization method (PureNano^TM) and freeze-dried them with erythritol (Ery) or hydroxypropyl-β-CyD (HP-β-CyD) as a water-soluble dispersion stabilizer. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the improved absorption of SLM/hypromellose (HPMC)/HP-β-CyD NPs after oral administration. The SLM/HPMC nano-suspension prepared using PureNano^TM exhibited a narrow size distribution. The size of the SLM/HPMC/HP-β-CyD NPs was approximately 250 nm after hydration. The SLM/HPMC/HP-β-CyD NPs were rapidly dissolved, and demonstrated a high solubility under supersaturated conditions. Additionally, they exhibited good wettability and their membrane permeability was improved compared with that of SLM original powder. These results suggest that the formulation of SLM NPs using PureNano^TM and freeze-drying with HP-β-CyD improves the absorption of SLM after oral administration by enhancing solubility, wettability, and membrane permeability.

Formulation and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of a Fusidic Acid Nanosuspension for Simultaneously Enhancing Solubility and Antibacterial Activity

The aim of the present study was to formulate a nanosuspension (FA-NS) of fusidic acid (FA) to enhance its aqueous solubility and antibacterial activity. The nanosuspension was characterized using various in vitro, in silico, and in vivo techniques. The size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of the optimized FA-NS were 265 ± 2.25 nm, 0.158 ± 0.026, and -16.9 ± 0.794 mV, respectively. The molecular dynamics simulation of FA and Poloxamer-188 showed an interaction and binding energy of -74.42 kJ/mol and -49.764 ± 1.298 kJ/mol, respectively, with van der Waals interactions playing a major role in the spontaneous binding. There was an 8-fold increase in the solubility of FA in a nanosuspension compared to the bare drug. The MTT assays showed a cell viability of 75-100% confirming the nontoxic nature of FA-NS. In vitro antibacterial activity revealed a 16- and 18-fold enhanced activity against Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA), respectively, when compared to bare FA. Flowcytometry showed that MRSA cells treated with FA-NS had almost twice the percentage of dead bacteria in the population, despite having an 8-fold lower MIC in comparison to the bare drug. The in vivo skin-infected mice showed a 76-fold reduction in the MRSA load for the FA-NS treated group compared to that of the bare FA. These results show that the nanosuspension of antibiotics can enhance their solubility and antibacterial activity simultaneously.

Production of pure drug nanocrystals and nano co-crystals by confinement methods

The use of drug nanocrystals in the drug formulation is increasing due to the large number of poorly water-soluble drug compounds synthetized and due to the advantages brought by the nanonization process. The downsizing processes are done using a top-down approach (milling and homogenization currently employed at the industrial level), while the crystallization process is performed by bottom-up techniques (e.g., antisolvent precipitation, use of supercritical fluids or spray and freeze drying). In addition, the production of nanocrystals in confined environment can be achieved within microfluidics channels. This review analyzes the processes for the preparation of nanocrystals and co-crystals, divided by top-down and bottom-up approaches, together with their combinations. The combination of both strategies merges the favorable features of each process and avoids the disadvantages of single processes. Overall, the applicability of drug nanocrystals is highlighted by the widespread research on the production processes at the engineering, pharmaceutical, and nanotechnology level.

Current developments and applications of microfluidic technology toward clinical translation of nanomedicines

Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems hold great potential for the therapy of many diseases, especially cancer. However, the translation of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems from academic research to industrial and clinical practice has been slow. This slow translation can be ascribed to the high batch-to-batch variations and insufficient production rate of the conventional preparation methods, and the lack of technologies for rapid screening of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems with high correlation to the in vivo tests. These issues can be addressed by the microfluidic technologies. For example, microfluidics can not only produce nanoparticles in a well-controlled, reproducible, and high-throughput manner, but also create 3D environments with continuous flow to mimic the physiological and/or pathological processes. This review provides an overview of the microfluidic devices developed to prepare nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, including drug nanosuspensions, polymer nanoparticles, polyplexes, structured nanoparticles and theranostic nanoparticles. We also highlight the recent advances of microfluidic systems in fabricating the increasingly realistic models of the in vivo milieu for rapid screening of nanoparticles. Overall, the microfluidic technologies offer a promise approach to accelerate the clinical translation of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems.