Search

Abstract: The stability of different seasonal influenza vaccines was investigated by spectroscopy and microscopy methods before and after the following stress-conditions: (i) 2 and 4 weeks storage at 25°C, (ii) 1 day storage at 37°C and (iii) one freeze–thaw cycle. The subunit vaccine Influvac® (Solvay Pharma) and the split vaccine Mutagrip® (Sanofi Pasteur) were affected by all stresses. The split vaccine Fluarix® (GlaxoSmithKline) was affected only by storage at 25°C. The virosomal vaccine Inflexal® V (Berna Biotech) was stable after the temperature stresses but aggregated after one freeze–thaw cycle. This study provides new insights into commercial vaccines of low antigen concentration and highlights the importance of using multiple techniques to assess vaccine stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The immunosuppressive agent Cyclosporin A (CsA) has very poor solubility in water and, in consequence, non-aqueous formulations have been developed for its intravenous administration to treat patients with transplant rejection. In this article, aqueous micelle solutions of novel amphiphilic copolymers based on methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) and hexyl-substituted poly(lactides) (hexPLA) were studied for possible incorporation and formulation of CsA, and for their biocompatibility towards novel pharmaceutical applications. Above the critical micellar concentration (CMC), MPEG–hexPLA block-copolymers self-assemble into unimodal micelles with diameters of around 30nm, either unloaded or drug-loaded. The best shelf-life stability of these formulations was observed when stored at 4°C with a drug loss inferior to 7% after 1year. The polymer and micelle toxicities were evaluated in vitro for three different cell lines and in vivo using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. The hemolytic property was assessed using human blood samples. As the studies revealed, MPEG–hexPLAs are non-toxic and do not show hemolysis; the same was found for the comparable MPEG–PLAs, both as unimers below their CMC and as polymeric micelles up to copolymer concentrations of 20mg/mL. At this concentration, CsA was efficiently incorporated into MPEG–hexPLA micelles up to 6mg/mL, which corresponds to a 500-fold increase of its water solubility. The current recommended clinical concentration administered per infusion (0.5–2.5mg/mL) can be easily achieved and requires four times less copolymer than with the often-used Cremophor®EL surfactant. In this regard, MPEG–hexPLA micelle formulations can be an applicable formulation in transplant rejection treatments as an injectable CsA carrier system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main goal of this study was to develop a dispersed polymeric drug delivery system for verteporfin, suitable for intravenous administration and capable of improving its phototherapeutic index and minimizing the side effects. To achieve this objective, two types of verteporfin-loaded nanoparticles (167 and 370 nm in diameter) based on poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) were prepared using the salting-out technique and were first tested on EMT-6 mammary tumor cells in comparison with an aqueous solution (DMSO/PBS). It was observed that small nanoparticles exhibited greater photocytotoxicity compared to large nanoparticles or DMSO/PBS, and the photocytotoxic efficiency was graded as small nanoparticles>DMSO/PBS>large nanoparticles. Furthermore, verteporfin, entrapped into small nanoparticles transferred to serum proteins more rapidly than when dissolved in DMSO/PBS. Drug clearance, measured by skin phototoxicity investigated in mice exposed to simulated sunlight 15 to 150 min after the injection of small nanoparticles was modest at early light exposure times with the small nanoparticles and diminished rapidly with later exposure times. Tumor bioassay results indicated that verteporfin incorporated into small nanoparticles effectively controlled tumor growth for 20 days in mice with early light irradiation times following drug administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The penetration of topically applied tacrolimus formulated in micelles into murine skin is reported, measured by X-ray microscopy. Tacrolimus and micelles are probed for the first time by this high spatial resolution technique by element-selective excitation in the C 1s- and O 1s-regimes. This method allows selective detection of the distribution and penetration depth of drugs and carrier molecules into biologic tissues. It is observed that small, but distinct quantities of the drug and micelles, acting as a drug carrier, penetrate the stratum corneum. A comparison is made with the paraffin-based commercial tacrolimus ointment Protopic®, where local drug concentrations show to be low. A slight increase in local drug concentration in the stratum corneum is observed, if tacrolimus is formulated in micelles, as compared to Protopic®. This underscores the importance of the drug formulations for effective drug delivery. Time-resolved penetration shows presence of drug in the stratum corneum 100 min after formulation application, with penetration to deeper skin layers at 1000 min. High resolution micrographs give indications for a penetration pathway along the lipid membranes between corneocytes, but also suggest that the compound may penetrate corneocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conventional therapy for the treatment of osteoarthrosis is intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid, which requires repeated, frequent injections. To extend the viscosupplementation effect of hyaluronic acid, we propose to associate it with another biopolymer in the form of a hybrid hydrogel. Chitosan was chosen because of its structural similarity to synovial glycosaminoglycans, its anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to promote cartilage growth. To avoid polyelectrolyte aggregation and obtain transparent, homogeneous gels, chitosan was reacetylated to a 50% degree, and different salts and formulation buffers were investigated. The biocompatibility of the hybrid gels was tested in vitro on human arthrosic synoviocytes, and in vivo assessments were made 1 week after subcutaneous injection in rats and 1 month after intra-articular injection in rabbits. Hyaluronic acid–chitosan polyelectrolyte complexes were prevented by cationic complexation of the negative charges of hyaluronic acid. The different salts tested were found to alter the viscosity and thermal degradation of the gels. Good biocompatibility was observed in rats, although the calcium-containing formulation induced calcium deposits after 1 week. The sodium chloride formulation was further tested in rabbits and did not show acute clinical signs of pain or inflammation. Hybrid HA–Cs hydrogels may be a valuable alternative viscosupplementation agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the problem of fast degradation of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), HA was protected against the oxidative stress generated by the pathology. Antioxidant conjugated HAs were synthesized and tested in vitro for their resistance in an oxidative environment mimicking OA. HA-4-aminoresorcinol (HA-4AR) displayed the interesting property of increasing in viscosity under oxidative conditions because of crosslinking induced by electron transfer. The novel HA polymer conjugate was shown to be biocompatible in vitro on fibroblast-like synoviocytes extracted from an arthritic patient. This HA conjugate was also assessed in vivo by intra-articular injection in healthy rabbits and was found to be comparable to the native polymer in terms of biocompatibility. This study suggests that HA-4AR is a promising candidate for a next generation viscosupplementation formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregation is a common challenge in the optimization of therapeutic antibody formulations. Since initial self-association of two monomers is typically a reversible process, the aim of this study is to identify different excipients that are able to shift this equilibrium to the monomeric state. The hypothesis is that a specific interaction between excipient and antibody may hinder two monomers from approaching each other, based on previous work in which dexamethasone phosphate showed the ability to partially reverse formed aggregates of the monoclonal IgG1 antibody bevacizumab back into monomers. The current study focuses on the selection of therapeutically inactive compounds with similar properties. Adenosine monophosphate, adenosine triphosphate, sucrose-6-phosphate and guanosine monophosphate were selected in silico through similarity searching and docking. All four compounds were predicted to bind to a protein–protein interaction hotspot on the Fc region of bevacizumab and thereby breaking dimer formation. The predictions were supported in vitro: An interaction between AMP and bevacizumab with a dissociation constant of 9.59±0.15mM was observed by microscale thermophoresis. The stability of the antibody at elevated temperature (40°C) in a 51mM phosphate buffer pH 7 was investigated in presence and absence of the excipients. Quantification of the different aggregation species by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation and size exclusion chromatography demonstrates that all four excipients are able to partially overcome the initial self-association of bevacizumab monomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ultraviolet Resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy with excitation at 244nm was investigated here as a possible useful tool for fast characterization of biopharmaceuticals. Studies were performed on three protein drugs: salmon calcitonin (sCT), starch–peptide conjugate, and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) adsorbed onto solid granules of tricalcium phosphate (TCP). Secondary structure of sCT was investigated for solutions of 0.5mg/mL up to 200mg/mL, regardless of the turbidity or aggregation states. An increase in β-sheet content was detected when sCT solutions aggregated. UVRR spectroscopy also detected a small amount of residual organic solvent in a starch–peptide conjugate solution containing only 40μg/mL of peptide. UVRR spectroscopy was then used to characterize a protein, TGF-β3, adsorbed onto solid granules of TCP at 50 and 250μg/cm3. This study shows that UVRR is suitable to characterize the protein formulations in a broad range of concentrations, in liquid, aggregated, and solid states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyclosporine A (CsA) has been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of a variety of ophthalmological conditions, including ocular surface disorders such as the dry eye disease (DED). Since CsA is characterised by its low water solubility, the development of a topical ophthalmic formulation represents an interesting pharmaceutical question. In the present study, two different strategies to address this challenge were studied and compared: (i) a water-soluble CsA prodrug formulated within an aqueous solution and (ii) a CsA oil-in-water emulsion (Restasis®, Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA). First, the prodrug formulation was shown to have an excellent ocular tolerance as well as no influence on the basal tear production; maintaining the ocular surface properties remained unchanged. Then, in order to allow in vivo investigations, a specific analytical method based on ultra high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC–MS/MS) was developed and optimised to quantify CsA in ocular tissues and fluids. The CsA ocular kinetics in lachrymal fluid for both formulations were found to be similar between 15min and 48h. The CsA ocular distribution study evidenced the ability of the prodrug formulation to penetrate into the eye, achieving therapeutically active CsA levels in tissues of both the anterior and posterior segments. In addition, the detailed analysis of the in vivo data using a bicompartmental model pointed out a higher bioavailability and lower elimination rate for CsA when it is generated from the prodrug than after direct application as an emulsion. The interesting in vivo properties displayed by the prodrug solution make it a safe and suitable option for the treatment of DED. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Efficient topical drug administration for the treatment of superficial fungal infections would deliver the therapeutic agent to the target compartment and reduce the risk of systemic side effects. However, the physicochemical properties of the commonly used azole antifungals make their formulation a considerable challenge. The objective of the present investigation was to develop aqueous micelle solutions of clotrimazole (CLZ), econazole nitrate (ECZ) and fluconazole (FLZ) using novel amphiphilic methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-hexyl substituted polylactide (MPEG-hexPLA) block copolymers. The CLZ, ECZ and FLZ formulations were characterized with respect to drug loading and micelle size. The optimal drug formulation was selected for skin transport studies that were performed using full thickness porcine and human skin. Penetration pathways and micellar distribution in the skin were visualized using fluorescein loaded micelles and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The hydrodynamic diameters of the azole loaded micelles were between 70 and 165nm and the corresponding number weighted diameters (dn) were 30 to 40nm. Somewhat surprisingly, the lowest loading efficiency (<20%) was observed for CLZ (the most hydrophobic of the three azoles tested); in contrast, under the same conditions, ECZ was incorporated with an efficiency of 98.3% in MPEG-dihexPLA micelles. Based on the characterization data and preliminary transport experiments, ECZ loaded MPEG-dihexPLA micelles (concentration 1.3mg/mL; dn <40nm) were selected for further study. ECZ delivery was compared to that from Pevaryl® cream (1% w/w ECZ), a marketed liposomal formulation for topical application. ECZ deposition in porcine skin following 6h application using the MPEG-dihexPLA micelles was >13-fold higher than that from Pevaryl® cream (22.8±3.8 and 1.7±0.6μg/cm2, respectively). A significant enhancement was also observed with human skin; the amounts of ECZ deposited were 11.3±1.6 and 1.5±0.4μg/cm2, respectively (i.e., a 7.5-fold improvement in delivery). Confocal laser scanning microscopy images supported the hypothesis that the higher delivery observed in porcine skin was due to a larger contribution of the follicular penetration pathway. In conclusion, the significant increase in ECZ skin deposition achieved using the MPEG-dihexPLA micelles demonstrates their ability to improve cutaneous drug bioavailability; this may translate into improved clinical efficacy in vivo. Moreover, these micelle systems may also enable targeting of the hair follicle and this will be investigated in future studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The benefit of polymeric immuno-nanoparticles (NPs–Tx–HER), consisting of paclitaxel (Tx)-loaded nanoparticles coated with anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies (Herceptin®, trastuzumab), in cancer treatment was assessed in a disseminated xenograft ovarian cancer model induced by intraperitoneal inoculation of SKOV-3 cells overexpressing HER2 antigens. The study was focused on the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution of NPs–Tx–HER compared to other Tx formulations. The therapeutic efficacy was determined by two methods: bioluminescence imaging and survival rate. The treatment regimen consisted in an initial dose of 20mg/kg Tx administered as 10mg/kg intravenously (IV) and 10mg/kg intraperitonealy (IP), followed by five alternative IP and IV injections of 10mg/kg Tx every 3days. The bioluminescence study has clearly shown the superior anti-tumor activity of NPs–Tx–HER compared to free Tx. As a confirmation of these results, a significantly longer survival of mice was observed for NPs–Tx–HER treatment compared to free Tx, Tx-loaded nanoparticles coated with an irrelevant mAb (Mabthera®, rituximab) or Herceptin® alone, indicating the potential of immuno-nanoparticles in cancer treatment. The biodistribution pattern of Tx was assessed on healthy and tumor bearing mice after IV or IP administration. An equivalent biodistribution profile was observed in healthy mice for Tx encapsulated either in uncoated nanoparticles (NPs–Tx) or in NPs–Tx–HER. No significant difference in Tx biodistribution was observed after IV or IP injection, except for a lower accumulation in the lungs when NPs were administered by IP. Encapsulated Tx accumulated in the organs of the reticulo-endothelial system (RES) such as the liver and spleen, whereas free Tx had a non-specific distribution in all tested organs. Compared to free Tx, the single dose injection (IV or IP) of encapsulated Tx in mice bearing tumors induced a higher tumor accumulation. However, no difference in overall tumor accumulation between NPs–Tx–HER and NPs–Tx was observed. In conclusion, the encapsulation of Tx into NPs–Tx–HER immuno-nanoparticles resulted in an improved efficacy of drug in the treatment of disseminated ovarian cancer overexpressing HER2 receptors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]