Project

Solvent electrospinning nanofibers as a novel material for improved polymer-API solid dispersions.

Code
3S000718
Duration
01 January 2018 → 31 December 2022
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
No data available
Keywords
nanofibers
 
Project description

Today, over 60%, of all newly developed drugs are discarded due to low water-solubility. This low water-solubility is due to both the chemical makeup and the high degree of crystallinity of the drug. The current formulation techniques to produce tablets today cannot circumvent this problem, which means that the produced product cannot be absorbed by our body and will, hence, have a very low efficacy. With solvent electrospinning as a new formulation technique it is aimed to homogeneously disperse the drug in a polymer matrix. In first proof of principle experiments on the drug flubendazole it has already been shown that this can prevent crystallization, which enhances the solubility of the drug inside aqueous environments, such as the body. In other words, by formulating highly crystalline drugs with low water-solubility via solvent electrospinning, the drug's bioavailability is increased. However, this phenomenon is not fully understood and, hence, far from optimized and for sure not yet widely applicable. Thus, the influence of different process parameters on the final drug delivery should be studied. Also different polymers and different drugs should be examined. In this project, these topics will be dealt with and finally the formulation of highly crystalline drugs that are insoluble in aqueous environments will be made viable. The technique will be well understood and optimized in order to design new polymer-drug systems that increase the bioavailability of the drug.