Nanoparticles as drug delivery systems of therapeutics

Nanoparticle drug delivery systems, for example lipid nanoparticles for mRNA, have been proven to increase the performance and overcome problems of many drug molecules.  At RISE, we are experienced in formulating and characterizing various types of nanoformulations with a variety of drug compounds ranging from small molecule drugs to peptides, oligonucleotides including mRNA and large biomolecules. Nanoparticle based drug delivery systems are highly versatile and ever evolving. They offer numerous advantages, notably, protecting the active molecules from degradation, controlling the drug release, and targeted drug delivery. Despite the benefits, they are highly complex systems necessitating the robust characterization strategy to understand and predict their in vitro performance and in vivo behavior. 

The use of nanoparticles in drug delivery applications has seen a tremendous uptrend owing to their advantages coupled with inadequate treatment of certain types of diseases by traditional approaches. More recent example includes application of lipid nanoparticle platform in most of the approved vaccines for COVID 19. The ability of nanoparticles to carry a wide range of therapeutic molecules is a huge advantage that is driving their increased usage.  

However, with these new types of complex modalities, expertise in advanced drug delivery systems is often needed to make the best choice of formulation based on the type of application and drug molecule. A critical and thorough characterization strategy is needed to understand the properties of the formulation, for example, how the drug is distributed in the nanoparticles and how fast or how slow the drug releases from the nanoparticles. A tailor-made approach is often necessary which takes into consideration the type and complexity of the formulation and its intended application. 

At RISE, we have several years of experience working with many types of nanoformulations for different areas and how to characterize them. We can be a valuable partner helping and assisting our customers in selecting and developing a robust nanoparticle-based formulation based on the specific needs.  

In recent years, we have focused on formulating mRNA in lipid nanoparticles, invested in a microfluidic instrument and a dedicated mRNA lab, to be able to meet the current demands within the vaccine space. 

Examples of nanoformulation we have been working on:

• Lipid based nanocarriers  
  • Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), liposomes, lipid nanocapsules, cubosomes, hexosomes and sponge phases.  
• Polymer-based nanoparticles
  • Nanogels, dendrimers.  
• Inorganic nanoparticles  
  • Mesoporous silica, titanium oxide, nanoclays. 

Examples of characterization methods:

• Particle size and surface charge (Dynamic light scattering, Zeta-potential) 
• Particle morphology with SEM and cryo-TEM 
• Particle structure with SAXS and SANS 
• Particle interactions with artificial membranes (Neutron Reflectometry, QCM-d, ellipsometry, leakage assay) 
• Quantification of payload (or encapsulation efficiency)  
• Method development for drug release testing (Frans cells)