I-CORPS: Scalable Production of Polymeric Nanoparticles Encapsulating Hydrophobic Compounds

I-CORPS：封装疏水性化合物的聚合物纳米颗粒的可规模化生产

• 批准号: 1566113
• 负责人: Ying Liu
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Chicago
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-11-01 至 2017-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1566113&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CORPS; Scalable; Production; Polymeric; Nanoparticles

The goal of this NSF I-Corps activity is to systematically study technology transition and establish the commercial viability of the technology of scalable production of polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating hydrophobic compounds. One of the greatest advantages of polymeric nanoparticles is that they can carry hydrophobic compounds at much higher concentrations than the solubility of these compounds in aqueous solutions and yet, the encapsulation keeps the compounds from being exposed to physiological conditions until they reach their targets. However, it is challenging to generate large-scale polymeric nanoparticles with well-controlled physical, chemical, and pharmaceutical properties for biomedical applications. The product being proposed is a continuous, scalable process for generating polymeric nanoparticles by integrating flash nanoprecipitation with drying processes. The resulting nanoparticles can have high drug loading, high drug encapsulation efficiency, and narrw particle size distribution.The team will reach the goal of this I-Corps study through assessing product possibilities, potential markets, economics and business models. If successful, the technology of commercial scale production of polymeric nanoparticles with controlled properties will initiate a paradigm shift in the biopharmaceutical industry with realized potential for health benefits for society at large. Low dose and dose frequency, and reduced side effects of the hydrophobic compounds can be achieved by increasing drug bioavailability. Drug compounds demonstrated to have in vitro or ex vivo therapeutic efficacy but undeliverable or difficult to administer can be formulated and available for clinical applications of treating complex diseases. Reproducibly generating nanoparticles with controlled propertied can serve as a platform to study drug pharmacokinetics,functionality, and efficacy.

NSF I-Corps 活动的目标是系统地研究技术转型，并确定封装疏水化合物的聚合物纳米粒子的可扩展生产技术的商业可行性。 聚合物纳米颗粒的最大优点之一是它们可以携带比这些化合物在水溶液中的溶解度高得多的浓度的疏水性化合物，而且封装可以防止化合物暴露在生理条件下，直到它们到达目标。然而，生成具有良好控制的物理、化学和药物特性的用于生物医学应用的大规模聚合物纳米颗粒具有挑战性。所提议的产品是一种连续、可扩展的工艺，通过将闪蒸纳米沉淀与干燥工艺相结合来生成聚合物纳米粒子。所得纳米颗粒具有高载药量、高药物封装效率和窄粒径分布。该团队将通过评估产品可能性、潜在市场、经济和商业模式来实现这项 I-Corps 研究的目标。如果成功，具有受控特性的聚合物纳米粒子的商业规模生产技术将引发生物制药行业的范式转变，并为整个社会带来健康益处。通过增加药物生物利用度可以实现低剂量和剂量频率以及疏水性化合物副作用的减少。经证明具有体外或离体治疗功效但无法递送或难以施用的药物化合物可以被配制并可用于治疗复杂疾病的临床应用。可重复生成具有受控特性的纳米颗粒可以作为研究药物药代动力学、功能和功效的平台。