Anti-inflammatory and pharmacokinetics evaluation of PEGylated ibuprofen tablet formulation

Drug repurposing screen identifies novel anti-inflammatory activity of sunitinib in macrophages

Inflammation is a driver of human disease and an unmet clinical need exists for new anti-inflammatory medicines. As a key cell type in both acute and chronic inflammatory pathologies, macrophages are an appealing therapeutic target for anti-inflammatory medicines. Drug repurposing - the use of existing medicines for novel indications - is an attractive strategy for the identification of new anti-inflammatory medicines with reduced development costs and lower failure rates than de novo drug discovery. In this study, FDA-approved medicines were screened in a murine macrophage NF-κB reporter cell line to identify potential anti-inflammatory drug repurposing candidates. The multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib was found to be a potent inhibitor of NF-κB activity and suppressor of inflammatory mediator production in murine bone marrow derived macrophages. Furthermore, oral treatment with sunitinib in mice was found to reduce TNFα production, inflammatory gene expression and organ damage in a model of endotoxemia via inhibition of NF-κB. Finally, we revealed sunitinib to have immunomodulatory effects in a model of chronic cardiovascular inflammation by reducing circulating TNFα. This study validates drug repurposing as a strategy for the identification of novel anti-inflammatory medicines and highlights sunitinib as a potential drug repurposing candidate for inflammatory disease via inhibition of NF-κB signalling.

Assessment of a Once-Daily Controlled-Release Ibuprofen Matrix Tablets Prepared Using Eudragit®E100/Carbopol®971P NF Polymers and Their Salts Combinations

INTRODUCTION

Hydrophilic polymers that swell or dissolve in aqueous media can have the potential to prepare controlled/sustained dosage forms for weakly acidic, poorly soluble drugs.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study is to utilize Eudragit®E100 (EE) and Carbopol®971P NF (Cp) polymers and their salt forms in the preparation of a once-daily controlled-release matrix tablet for model drug, Ibuprofen (IB).

METHODS

Combinations of the polymers in their base forms (EE)/(Cp) or their salt forms (EEHCl/CpNa) were compressed with (IB) into single layer matrix tablets, or otherwise into bilayer tablets. Dissolution profiles were constructed using three different consecutive stages (pH 1.2, 4.8, and 6.8).

RESULT

It was found that the incorporation of (EEHCl) modified the release rates of (IB) from (Cp) based matrix tablets. However, a major enhancement of (IB) release rates occurred when the polymers were combined in their salt forms at a 1:1 ratio by weight. In addition, a bilayer tablet was prepared wherein a relatively rapidly disintegrating layer composed of polymers salts (EEHCl and CpNa), and a second layer containing only (Cp) polymer in its base form at a 1:2 weight ratio possessed excellent release properties, and mechanical strengths.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that the prepared bilayer tablet could be of promise use in controlling the release rates of (IB) in an extended manner to allow once-daily administration with an improved pH-independent release behavior.