Development of Aerosol Dry Powder Chemotherapeutic-Loaded Microparticles for the Treatment of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, resulting in the highest mortality rates among both men and women with respect to all other types of cancer. Difficulties in treating lung cancer arise from late-stage diagnoses and tumor heterogeneity and current treatment involves a combination of chemotherapeutics, surgery, and radiation. Chemotherapeutics administered systemically can lead to undesirable side effects and severe off-site toxicity. For example, chronic administration of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) leads to cardiotoxicity, thereby limiting its long-term use. Systemic administration of the highly lipophilic molecule paclitaxel (PTX) is hindered by its water solubility, necessitating the use of solubilizing agents, which can induce side effects. Thus, in this investigation, formulations consisting of spray-dried microparticles (MP) containing DOX and PTX were produced to be administered as dry powder aerosols directly to the lungs. Acetalated dextran (Ac-Dex) was used as the polymer in these formulations, as it is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that exhibits pH-responsive degradation. Solid-state characterization revealed that DOX and PTX remained in solubility favoring amorphous states in the MP formulations and that both drugs remained thermally stable throughout the spray drying process. In vitro release studies demonstrated the pH sensitivity of the formulations due to the use of Ac-Dex, as well as the release of both therapeutics over the course of at least 48 h. In vitro aerosol dispersion studies demonstrated that both formulations exhibited suitable aerosol dispersion properties for deep lung delivery.

Developing virtual and augmented reality applications for science, technology, engineering and math education

The Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Molecular Informatics Core at the University of Rhode Island Information Technology Services Innovative Learning Technologies developed virtual and augmented reality applications to teach concepts in biomedical science, including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, cell culture and nanotechnology. The apps were developed as full virtual reality/augmented reality and 3D gaming versions, which do not require virtual reality headsets. Development challenges included creating intuitive user interfaces, text-to-voice functionality, visualization of molecules and implementing complex science concepts. In-app quizzes are used to assess the user's understanding of topics, and user feedback was collected for several apps to improve the experience. The apps were positively reviewed by users and are being implemented into the curriculum at the University of Rhode Island.

3D Bioprinted Implants for Cartilage Repair in Intervertebral Discs and Knee Menisci

Cartilage defects pose a significant clinical challenge as they can lead to joint pain, swelling and stiffness, which reduces mobility and function thereby significantly affecting the quality of life of patients. More than 250,000 cartilage repair surgeries are performed in the United States every year. The current gold standard is the treatment of focal cartilage defects and bone damage with nonflexible metal or plastic prosthetics. However, these prosthetics are often made from hard and stiff materials that limits mobility and flexibility, and results in leaching of metal particles into the body, degeneration of adjacent soft bone tissues and possible failure of the implant with time. As a result, the patients may require revision surgeries to replace the worn implants or adjacent vertebrae. More recently, autograft - and allograft-based repair strategies have been studied, however these too are limited by donor site morbidity and the limited availability of tissues for surgery. There has been increasing interest in the past two decades in the area of cartilage tissue engineering where methods like 3D bioprinting may be implemented to generate functional constructs using a combination of cells, growth factors (GF) and biocompatible materials. 3D bioprinting allows for the modulation of mechanical properties of the developed constructs to maintain the required flexibility following implantation while also providing the stiffness needed to support body weight. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of current advances in 3D bioprinting for cartilage tissue engineering for knee menisci and intervertebral disc repair. We will also discuss promising medical-grade materials and techniques that can be used for printing, and the future outlook of this emerging field.

Development of Spray-Dried Cyclodextrin-Based Pediatric Anti-HIV Formulations

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impacts up to 37 million people globally, of which 1.8 million are children. To date, there is no cure for HIV, although treatment options such as antiretroviral therapy (ART) are available. ART, which involves a patient taking a combination of antiretrovirals, is being used to treat HIV clinically. Despite the effectiveness of ART, there is currently no palatable pediatric formulation to treat HIV in children, which has hindered patient compliance and overall treatment efficacy. In addition, anti-HIV therapeutics are often poorly water-soluble, and hence have poor bioavailability. In the present study, we developed a pediatric-friendly formulation for anti-HIV therapeutics with improved dissolution characteristics of the therapeutic agents. Lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV), available as FDA-approved fixed-dose combination products, were chosen as model ART drugs, and the formulation and processing parameters of spray-dried cyclodextrin (CD)-based LPV and RTV complexes were studied. Results showed that the spray-dried complexes exhibited enhanced dissolution profiles in comparison to pure drugs, particularly spray-dried β-CD complexes, which showed the most favorable dissolution profiles. This current formulation with enhanced dissolution and taste-masking ability through the use of cyclodextrin has the potential to address the unmet need for the development of suitable pediatric formulations.

Recent Advances in 3D Printing for Parenteral Applications

3D printing has emerged as an advanced manufacturing technology in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. Despite much focus on enteral applications, there has been a lack of research focused on potential benefits of 3D printing for parenteral applications such as wound dressings, biomedical devices, and regenerative medicines. 3D printing technologies, including fused deposition modeling, vat polymerization, and powder bed printing, allow for rapid prototyping of personalized medications, capable of producing dosage forms with flexible dimensions based on patient anatomy as well as dosage form properties such as porosity. Considerations such as printing properties and material selection play a key role in determining overall printability of the constructs. These parameters also impact drug release kinetics, and mechanical properties of final printed constructs, which play a role in modulating immune response upon insertion in the body. Despite challenges in sterilization of printed constructs, additional post-printing processing procedures, and lack of regulatory guidance, 3D printing will continue to evolve to meet the needs of developing effective, personalized medicines for parenteral applications.