Search

Bags made of poly-ethylene and poly-vinylchloride and of the copolymer ethylene–vinylacetate were used as containers of perfusion solutions for total parenteral nutrition. The bags were characterised by tensiometry (free energy and its polar and dispersed components) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) before and after various periods of storage of solutions for total parenteral nutrition containing l-aminoacids, electrolytes or glucose. In most of the cases, after storage of these solutions, tensiometric characterisation and atomic force microscopy analysis of the internal surface of bags showed deep modifications which highlight the adsorption of the solutes. The changes of surface characteristics were found to depend on the time of contact, the wettability of the polymer and the compounds present into the solutions, while their concentration has a negligible effect. Generally, the aminoacid solutions produced a higher increase in the polar component even after short storage times. Poly-ethylene and the copolymer ethylene–vinylacetate showed a greater inertia if compared with the poly-vinylchloride bags. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

O/W creams prepared in three mechanical conditions (F with a hand blender; S turbomixer; T vacuum turbo-emulsor) produced different dispersion grades of the internal phase and different rheological characteristics by using surfactants of different chemical nature (polyoxyethylene-cetostearyl alcohols and polyglyceryl-3-methylglucose distearate). Three tests were used (an in vitro release test across a porous membrane; an in vitro simulated absorption test across a porous membrane impregnated with isopropyl myristate; an in vivo absorption test based on the intensity and duration of the erythema produced by methyl nicotinate after application of the cream on the skin) to assess whether the different physical characteristics influence drug availability from the creams. The different physical characteristics due to the mechanical conditions of emulsifying and gelification appeared not to influence drug release and in vivo absorption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two series of O/W creams having the same general formulation were prepared in three different mechanical conditions (F with an hand blender; S with a turbomixer; T with a vacuum turbo emulsor) using two types of surfactants, polyoxyethylene-cetostearyl alcohols and polyglyceryl-3-methylglucose-distearate. By means of microscopic image analysis it was possible to point out the dispersion grade of the oil internal phase increasing with the energy applied under the conditions of manufacture (F

A nuclear emergency is a type of accident that can expose a highly variable number of people to isotopes and radiation [[1]]. It can take time to identify radionuclides deposited in the environment and to measure the dose adsorbed by a given individual (which decides the need for specific treatments), but treatments must be started promptly to avoid target organ contamination and deposition. The radionuclides absorbed by the thyroid could lead to thyroid dysfunction and thyroid cancer. [Extracted from the article]

Background. Preparation of injectable anticancer drugs in hospital pharmacies is a high-risk activity that requires a proper risk assessment (RA) and quality assurance system (QAS) to ensure both a decrease in risk associated with chemotherapy compounding and high quality of the final product, especially in terms of its microbiological stability. Methods. At the centralized compounding unit (UFA) of the Italian Hospital IOV-IRCCS, a quick and deductive method was applied to evaluate the "added value" provided by each prescribed preparation, and its RA was calculated applying a formula that integrates different pharmacological, technological and organizational aspects. According to specific RA range values, the preparations were divided into different risk levels, in order to determine the QAS to be adopted, according to the Italian Ministry of Health guidelines, whose adherence was meticulously evaluated through a specific self-assessment procedure. A review of the scientific literature was carried out to integrate the risk-based predictive extended stability (RBPES) of drugs with data concerning their physiochemical and biological stability. Results. Based on the self-assessment comprising all microbiological validations of the working area, personnel and products, the microbiological risk level within the IOV-IRCCS' UFA was defined through the creation of a transcoding matrix, conferring a microbiological stability to preparations and vial leftovers of a maximum of 7 days. The calculated RBPES were successfully integrated with stability data from the literature, leading to the drafting of a stability table of drugs and preparations in use in our UFA. Conclusions. Our methods allowed us to perform an in-depth analysis of the highly specific and technical process of anticancer drug compounding in our UFA, ensuring a certain grade of quality and safety to preparations, especially in terms of microbiological stability. The resulting RBPES table represents an invaluable tool with positive repercussions at organizational and economic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this narrative review was to assess the use of nanoparticles (NPs) to deliver radionuclides to targets, focusing on systems that have been tested in pre-clinical and, when available, clinical settings. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science databases using the following terms: "radionuclides" AND "liposomes" or "PLGA nanoparticles" or "gold nanoparticles" or "iron oxide nanoparticles" or "silica nanoparticles" or "micelles" or "dendrimers". No filters were applied, apart from a minimum limit of 10 patients enrolled for clinical studies. Data from some significant studies from pre-clinical and clinical settings were retrieved, and we briefly describe the information available. All the selected seven classes of nanoparticles were highly tested in clinical trials, but they all present many drawbacks. Liposomes are the only ones that have been tested for clinical applications, though they have never been commercialized. In conclusion, the application of NPs for imaging has been the object of much interest over the years, albeit mainly in pre-clinical settings. Thus, we think that, based on the current state, radiolabeled NPs must be investigated longer before finding their place in nuclear medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the atrial fibrillation treatment guidelines have been updated to now recommend Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) as the preferred alternative to warfarin for systemic embolism and stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. NOACs have major pharmacologic advantages over warfarin, although the most common complications are gastrointestinal bleeding and NOAC-induced nephropathy within 6 weeks after starting therapy, as several recent case-reports stated. We are reporting for the first time a chronic delayed adverse reaction (regularly reported to Authorities) observed in an 82-year-old woman 27 months after starting dabigatran (110 mg twice a day), characterized by concomitant gastrointestinal bleeding and nephropathy. Idarucizumab administration immediately improved both bleeding and renal parameters. Moreover, we are going to highlight the importance of the compliance, the adherence to the therapeutic plan and the supervision of the Hospital Pharmacy on drug prescriptions. In fact in our case, dabigatran was firstly prescribed by the neurologist and delivered by the hospital pharmacy, but the patient continued the treatment for 27 months, prescribed by general practitioner without any laboratory control. This lack of supervision certainly contributed to the onset of the adverse reaction reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although high shear mixers can represent a single-pot process, separate drying equipment is commonly employed. Limited literature exists on the use of a heating jacket coupled with a vacuum pump typically used in a single-pot setup, so this study compares the drying effects of a single-pot setup (DSP) and ventilated oven (DVO) on the properties of granules and tablets. Granules containing three actives of varying water solubility were produced and characterised. The results showed that DSP reduced the drying time and produced smaller, irregular, and weaker granules with different compression mechanisms. The tablets were produced and characterised. All tablets passed the uniformity test. Compression differences had no impact on tablet properties for poorly water-soluble actives, but altered properties for highly soluble actives due to increased active migration and crystallization on the granule surface. In conclusion, while DSP offers advantages, careful consideration of the drying technique is essential during product development. [Display omitted] • High shear wet granulation could be a single-pot process with numerous advantages. • The effect exerted by the use of a ventilated oven or the single-pot setup was investigated. • The single-pot setup reduces drying time and produces smaller, irregular, and brittle granules. • Highly soluble actives migrate to surface during drying, altering granule and tablet properties. • The choice of drying technique is crucial due to the impact on granule and tablet properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The potential of wet sol–gel derived silica gels as new matrices for the entrapment and sustained release of proteins was investigated. Model proteins, BSA, ribonuclease-A and avidin, with differing molecular weights and/or isoelectric points, were entrapped in two silica polymer formulations having different silica contents (4% and 12% wt/v). The conformational stability of the proteins after entrapment and their release after immersion into physiological conditions were measured. Circular dichroism analysis showed that protein conformation is maintained after entrapment and stability is enhanced. Protein-free formulations were injected intramuscularly into BALB/c mice to monitor the in vivo fate of the matrix, and the results showed that the gel is totally reabsorbed, without any apparent surrounding inflammation process. The time required for matrix bioerosion varied between one to three weeks, depending on its SiO2 content. Erosion was also measured in vitro and the contribution of erosion and diffusion to the release of the embedded proteins was quantified. These data indicate that wet silica polymers obtained by the sol–gel route are promising matrices for the sustained release of protein drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • This work is the first extensively investigating monoclonal stability not only by physicochemical, but also by multiple biological assays. • Cetuximab and panitumumab vial leftovers and dilution bags stability resulted extended respect to their SmCPs. • In hospitals, monoclonals' residues could be used reducing waste of both time and costs, optimising therapies' schedules. • Relevant data regarding mAbs differential response to thermal and chemical stress are reported, providing a wider understanding of formulation's influence on stability. The two anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) cetuximab and panitumumab are the pillars for the treatment of EGFR-positive, KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancers. However, stability data of these mAbs are generally missing or incomplete. Here, we report for the first time an orthogonal analysis of the stability of cetuximab (Erbitux®) and panitumumab (Vectibix®), either undiluted vial leftovers or saline dilutions in polyolefin/polyamide infusion bags. All samples were stored at 2–8 °C protected from light, according to their summary of product characteristics (SmPCs). Alternatively, opened vials and preparations were maintained at 25 °C for 15 h, and then stored again at 2–8 °C protected from light to mimic a temporary interruption of the cold chain. Vial leftovers proved stable up to 180 days when stored according to their SmPCs, while compounded preparations in infusion bags maintained their physiochemical, biological and microbiological stability up to 30 days. Additionally, no changes were detected up to 30 days for the same samples undergoing a thermal excursion. Our results provide additional rationale to the SmPCs, crucial especially in the case of reassignment and pre-preparation of bags. This information will allow hospitals to achieve significant cost savings, and better organization of the entire therapeutic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable soups are complex mixtures containing vegetables in different percentages, thickeners, salt, fat, and emulsifying/wetting agents. When prepared as dehydrated powders in convenience foods, they need to be rehydrated before consumption and this can lead to formation of undesired lumps when carried out in hot water. Elimination of lumps and simplification of the preparation procedure were reached by granulating three different vegetable mixtures, each with a predominant vegetable (spinach, beetroot, and carrot), using an alternative liquid binder besides water. The use of an oil‐in‐water emulsion affected positively some technological properties of the dry products like granule strength and flowability, and the rehydrated soups in terms of complete dispersion in hot water. Also, the interplay between starches and soluble sugars, naturally present in vegetables, was found to impact the complete rehydration of the soups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several natural remedies are used in the Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) to prevent dementia, but their efficacy is debated. In this work, an improved "Safoof-e-Nesyān" formulation described in the "Qarābādin-e-Azam" pharmacopoeia was developed, and its chemical composition and antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase properties were assessed. The formulation contains a mixture (FM) of Cinnamomum cassia (CC), C. verum (CV), Pistacia lentiscus (PL), Rheum palmatum (RP), Syzygium aromaticum (SA), and Zingiber officinalis (ZO) powdered plants. Its total phenolic content is 110.45 mg GAE/g, while the total flavonoid content is 6.28 mg RE/g. 66 secondary metabolites (mainly tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, and gingerols) were identified by UPLC-QToF-MS analysis. FM exerts antioxidant effects by scavenging radicals, and by reducing and chelating metals such as Mb, Cu and Fe. The anticholinesterase activity of one gram of the FM equals that of 3.60 mg of the reference drug galantamine, on both acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase. Correlations between specific compounds and bioactivities were highlighted by multivariate analysis of data: lyoniresinol 9′-glucoside strongly correlates with antiradical activities on DPPH and ABTS and reducing activity on Cu, and with anti-AChE effects. Most of the identified flavonoids and the ellagic acid derivatives positively correlate with the reducing activity on Fe and Mb, and with anti-BChE effects. Finally, a tablet formulation of the FM was developed, and its physical properties were preliminarily assessed. Overall, our results indicate that the FM may be a useful natural remedy for dementia, although further safety and efficacy assessments in vivo are required. [Display omitted] • Safoof-e-Nesyān is used in the Traditional Persian Medicine against dementia. • An improved Safoof-e-Nesyān formulation was here developed and characterized. • 66 phenols were identified by LC-MS: tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, gingerols. • Radical scavenging, metal-chelating and metal-reducing activities were observed. • The anticholinesterase effect of 1 g of mixture equal that of 3.6 mg of galantamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At INFN-LNL (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare- Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro) SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species), a new facility for the production of radioactive ion beams is being constructed at INFN-LNL (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro). Radioactive ion beams of neutron-rich nuclei with high purity, in the range of mass between 80 and 160 amu, will be produced by nuclear reactions induced by 40 MeV protons from a cyclotron. The goal of the ISOLPHARM project is to provide a feasibility study for an innovative technology for the production of extremely very high specific activity beta emitting radionuclides as radiopharmaceutical precursors. The ISOL method, adopted in the ISOLPHARM project (a branch of the SPES project), gives the possibility of obtaining pure isobaric beams. In this way, no isotopic contaminations will be present in the beam and afterwards in a proper trapping substrate. The ground-breaking idea of the ISOLPHARM method was granted an International patent (INFN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Becoming a hospital pharmacist in Europe is nowadays patchy and differs from nation to nation. In Italy, an educational post-graduate program called "School of Hospital Pharmacy" (SHP) is mandatory to work in the National Health System (NHS). SHP was recently renovated and harmonized but considerable differences remain along the nation. We performed a cross-sectional study asking, through a specific questionnaire, the Italian SHP students to indicate the reasons on which lays this lack of homogeneity. We found out that a good relationship with tutors was significantly correlated with the degree of students' autonomy. Higher adherence to study plan can be predicted by year of study, localization of SHP in Northern Italy, and allocation of an academic salary and a good relationship with tutor. Academic salary and year of study also predicted the number of scientific paper published by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugars and sweeteners are common ingredients in foods and also in pharmaceutical industries. They are soluble and sticky ingredients and their processing in granulators may be difficult since they can easily adhere to mixer walls or lead to uncontrolled granule growth. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of the high shear wet granulation process and to find the optimal amount of binder by studying the granulation performances of four sugars: mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol and sucrose in different amounts. Sugar interactions with the liquid binder and solid carrier were carefully characterized. The increased viscosity of the liquid bridges, due to the partial solubilization of the sugars, was found to play a major role in the agglomeration process since it controls the liquid mobility and its distribution. Experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the process and the ability of mixer torque rheometer to predict the optimal binder amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous silica particles prepared through a simplified Stöber method and low temperature solvent-promoted surfactant removal are evaluated as dissolution enhancers for poorly soluble compounds, using a powerful anticancer agent belonging to pyrroloquinolinones as a model for anticancer oral therapy, and anti-inflammatory ibuprofen as a reference compound. Mesoporous powders composed of either pure silica or silica modified with aminopropyl residues are produced. The influence of material composition and drug chemical properties on drug loading capability and dissolution enhancement are studied. The two types of particles display similar size, surface area, porosity, erodibility, drug loading capability and stability. An up to 50% w/w drug loading is reached, showing correlation between drug concentration in adsorption medium and content in the final powder. Upon immersion in simulating body fluids, immediate drug dissolution occurred, allowing acceptor solutions to reach concentrations equal to or greater than drug saturation limits. The matrix composition influenced drug solution maximal concentration, complementing the dissolution enhancement generated by a mesoporous structure. This effect was found to depend on both matrix and drug chemical properties allowing us to hypothesise general prediction behaviour rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnostic tests for veterinary surveillance programs should be efficient, easy to use and, possibly, economical. In this context, classic Enzyme linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) remains the most common analytical platform employed for serological analyses. The analysis of pooled samples instead of individual ones is a common procedure that permits to certify, with one single test, entire herds as “disease-free”. However, diagnostic tests for pooled samples need to be particularly sensitive, especially when the levels of disease markers are low, as in the case of anti-BoHV1 antibodies in milk as markers of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) disease. The avidin-nucleic-acid-nanoassembly (ANANAS) is a novel kind of signal amplification platform for immunodiagnostics based on colloidal poly-avidin nanoparticles that, using model analytes, was shown to strongly increase ELISA test performance as compared to monomeric avidin. Here, for the first time, we applied the ANANAS reagent integration in a real diagnostic context. The monoclonal 1G10 anti-bovine IgG1 antibody was biotinylated and integrated with the ANANAS reagents for indirect IBR diagnosis from pooled milk mimicking tank samples from herds with IBR prevalence between 1 to 8%. The sensitivity and specificity of the ANANAS integrated method was compared to that of a classic test based on the same 1G10 antibody directly linked to horseradish peroxidase, and a commercial IDEXX kit recently introduced in the market. ANANAS integration increased by 5-fold the sensitivity of the 1G10 mAb-based conventional ELISA without loosing specificity. When compared to the commercial kit, the 1G10-ANANAS integrated method was capable to detect the presence of anti-BHV1 antibodies from bulk milk of gE antibody positive animals with 2-fold higher sensitivity and similar specificity. The results demonstrate the potentials of this new amplification technology, which permits improving current classic ELISA sensitivity limits without the need for new hardware investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work wet granulation experiments were carried out in a planetary mixer with the aim to develop a novel analytical tool based on surface texture analysis. The evolution of a simple formulation (300 g of microcrystalline cellulose with a solid binders pre-dispersed in water) was monitored from the very beginning up to the end point and information on the kinetics of granulation as well as on the effect of liquid binder amount were collected. Agreement between texture analysis and granules particle size distribution obtained by sieving analysis was always found. The method proved to be robust enough to easily monitor the process and its use for more refined analyses on the different rate processes occurring during granulation is also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic gastro-duodenal reflux in the esophagus is a major risk for intestinal metaplasia and Barrett’s adenocarcinoma. A role for chronic use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in the increased incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in Western countries has been previously suggested. The aim of this work was to study the effect of chronic administration of omeprazole (a proton pump inhibitor) per os in a model of reflux induced esophageal carcinogenesis. One week after esophago-gastro-jejunostomy, 115 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive 10 mg/Kg per day of omeprazole or placebo, 5 days per week. The esophago-gastric specimens were collected 28±2 weeks after randomization and analyzed in a blinded fashion. Mortality and esophageal metaplasia rates did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.99 for mortality, p = 0.36 for intestinal metaplasia and p = 0.66 for multi-layered epithelium). Gastric pancreatic acinar cell metaplasia (PACM) was more frequently observed in PPI-treated rats (p = 0.003). Severe ulcer lesions significantly prevailed in the placebo group (p = 0.03). Locally invasive esophageal epithelial neoplasia were observed in 23/39 PPI-treated versus 14/42 placebo-animals (p = 0.03). In conclusion, chronic omeprazole treatment improved the healing of esophageal ulcerative lesions. Locally invasive neoplastic lesions and PACM prevailed among PPI-treated animals. However, neither an effect on the overall mortality nor on the incidence of pre-neoplastic lesions was observed in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Avidin-Nucleic-Acids-Nano-Assemb1y (ANANAS) is a kind of soft poly avidin nanopartide originating from the high affinity interaction between avidin and the nudeic acids. In this work we investigated the possibility of transforming ANANAS cores into stoichiometrirally controlled multifunctional nanopartides through a "onepot" procedure, and we measured in a quantitative way their ability to work as reagents for enhanced immunodiagnostic detection. Initially, we measured the ANANAS loading capability for biotinylated proteins of different nature. About 200 molecules of biotin-horseradish-peroxidase (4OKDa b-HRP) and 60 molecules of biotin-iminunogiobulin-G (ISOKDa b-IgG) could be accommodated Onto each nanopartide, showing that steric limitations dictate the number of loadable entities. Stoichiometrically controlled functional assemblies were generated by mixing core particles with subsaturaling amounts of b-}TRP and b-IgG. When applied as detection reagents in an Enzyme-LinkedlinmunoSorbed-Assay (ELISA), these assemblies were up to two-orders of magnitude more sensitive than comnsercial HltPbased reagents Assemblies of different composition displayed different efficacy, indicating that the system functionality can be fine-tuned. Within-assay variability (CV%), measured to assess if the assembly procedure is reproducible, was within 10%. Stability experiments demonstrated that the fimctionalyzed assemblies are stable in solution for more than one week. In principle, any biotinylated function can be loaded onto the core particle, whose high loading capacity and tunability may open the way toward further application in biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of some important drug properties (such as particle size distribution, hygroscopicity and solubility) and process variables on the granule growth behaviour and final drug distribution in high shear wet granulation. Results have been analyzed in the light of widely accepted theories and some recently developed approaches. A mixture composed of drug, some excipients and a dry binder was processed using a lab-scale high-shear mixer. Three common active pharmaceutical ingredients (paracetamol, caffeine and acetylsalicylic acid) were used within the initial formulation. Drug load was 50% (on weight basis). Influences of drug particle properties (e.g. particle size and shape, hygroscopicity) on the granule growth behaviour were evaluated. Particle size distribution (PSD) and granule morphology were monitored during the entire process through sieve analysis and scanning electron microscope (SEM) image analysis. Resistance of the wet mass to mixing was furthermore measured using the impeller torque monitoring technique. The observed differences in the granule growth behaviour as well as the discrepancies between the actual and the ideal drug content in the final granules have been interpreted in terms of dimensionless quantity (spray flux number, bed penetration time) and related to torque measurements. Analysis highlighted the role of liquid distribution on the process. It was demonstrated that where the liquid penetration time was higher (e.g. paracetamol-based formulations), the liquid distribution was poorer leading to retarded granule growth and selective agglomeration. On the other hand where penetration time was lower (e.g. acetylsalicylic acid-based formulations), the growth was much faster but uniformity content problem arose because of the onset of crushing and layering phenomena. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects on granule shape of binders of different viscosities have been compared in the high shear wet granulation process. Water and different emulsions were used as liquid binders. The observed differences in shape have been explained in terms of the granule growth regime map and show that it is easier to control the shape of granules obtained using emulsions as binder. Moreover, evidences have been collected showing that high shear wet granulation is a viable solution for solid self-emulsifying drug delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver-111 (111Ag, t 1/2 = 7.47 d) is a β − emitter suitable for targeted cancer therapy due to favourable decay properties. The production of no-carrier added 111Ag via Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique is being investigated at the Legnaro National Laboratories of the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (ISOLPHARM project). Stable Cadmium-111 (111Cd) is co-produced as isobaric contaminant, hence a chemical separation process must be developed to selectively harvest 111Ag. In this study, a chromatographic procedure employing the commercially available CL resin was investigated by using stable Ag+ and Cd2+. Results indicate that CL resin allows to efficiently separate Ag+ from Cd2+ and recover the former with high yields. • Silver-111 (t 1/2 = 7.47 days) is a β − emitting radionuclide suitable for cancer therapy. • During 111Ag production via ISOL method, 111Cd is co-produced. • Chromatographic method using commercially available CL resin was developed to separate silver from cadmium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ISOLPHARM (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals) project is dedicated to the development of high purity radiopharmaceuticals exploiting the radionuclides producible with the future Selective Production of Exotic Species (SPES) Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) facility at the Legnaro National Laboratories of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNL). At SPES, a proton beam (up to 70 MeV) extracted from a cyclotron will directly impinge a primary target, where the produced isotopes are released thanks to the high working temperatures (2000 °C), ionized, extracted and accelerated, and finally, after mass separation, only the desired nuclei are collected on a secondary target, free from isotopic contaminants that decrease their specific activity. A case study for such project is the evaluation of the feasibility of the ISOL production of 64Cu and 67Cu using a zirconium germanide target, currently under development. The producible activities of 64Cu and 67Cu were calculated by means of the Monte Carlo code FLUKA, whereas dedicated off-line tests with stable beams were performed at LNL to evaluate the capability to ionize and recover isotopically pure copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]