Nanocapsule encapsulation system and method
AssigneeGenesegues, Inc.
InventorGretchen M. Unger
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to nanocapsules and methods of preparing these nanocapsules. The present invention includes a method of forming a surfactant micelle and dispersing the surfactant micelle into an aqueous composition having a hydrophilic polymer to form a stabilized dispersion of surfactant micelles. The method further includes mechanically forming droplets of the stabilized dispersion of surfactant micelles, precipitating the hydrophilic polymer to form precipitated nanocapsules, incubating the nanocapsules to reduce a diameter of the nanocapsules, and filtering or centrifuging the nanocapsules.
Claims41
A method of forming a dispersion of micelles, the method comprising:
- forming a surfactant micelle, wherein the surfactant micelle comprises:
- a surfactant coating a surface of a bioactive component to form a surfactant micelle, wherein the surfactant molecule has an HLB value of less than about 6.0 units;
- and
- dispersing the surfactant micelle into an aqueous composition, wherein the aqueous composition comprises a hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrophilic polymer coats a surface of the surfactant micelle to form the dispersion comprising the surfactant micelle having a diameter of less than about 50 nanometers.
A method of forming a dispersion of surfactant micelles, the method comprising:
- dispersing surfactant molecules into a first hydrophilic composition, the first hydrophilic composition comprising a hydrophilic bioactive component, wherein the surfactant molecules form a shell around the hydrophilic bioactive component to form a dispersion of surfactant micelles;
- adding a biocompatible hydrophilic polymer to the dispersion of surfactant micelles;
- and
- wherein the biocompaitble hydrophilic polymer is effective to stabilize the dispersion.
A method of forming a nanocapsule, the method comprising:
- dispersing a surfactant molecule into a first aqueous composition comprising a hydrophilic bioactive component, wherein the surfactant molecule has an HLB value of less than about 5.0 units, and wherein the surfactant molecule is adsorbed onto a surface of the hydrophilic component to form a surfactant micelle;
- adding a biocompatible polymer to the first aqueous composition to form a stabilized aqueous composition comprising a plurality of stabilized surfactant micelles;
- and
- solidifying the stabilized surfactant micelles by dispersing the stabilized surfactant micelles into a second aqueous composition containing a solute for a time that is effective to form a first nanocapsule having a first diameter.
A method of producing a nanocapsule, the method comprising:
- condensing a bioactive component in a first aqueous composition to form a condensed bioactive component;
- dispersing surfactant molecules into the first aqueous composition, wherein the surfactant molecules have an HLB value of less than about 5.0 units, and wherein the surfactant molecules are adsorbed onto a surface of the condensed bioactive component to form a plurality of surfactant micelles;
- coating the surfactant micelles with a biocompatible polymer to form a plurality of stabilized surfactant micelles;
- dispersing the stabilized surfactant micelles into a second aqueous composition comprising a solute to form a nanocapsule having a first diameter;
- and
- wherein the bioactive component is not entangled in the biocompatible polymer of the nanocapsule.
A method of preparing a nanocapsule, the method comprising;
- forming a hydrophobic composition, wherein the hydrophobic composition comprises a surfactant molecule adsorbed onto a surface of a hydrophobic component, and wherein the surfactant molecule has an HLB value of less than about 5.0 units;
- adding a biocompatible polymer to the hydrophobic composition to form a stabilized composition, wherein the biocompatible polymer is effective to form a shell around the surfactant molecule;
- and
- dispersing the stabilized composition into an aqueous composition to form a nanocapsule.
A method of administering a gene to a cell, the method comprising:
- administering to an epithelial cell an effective amount of a plurality of nanocapsules, wherein the nanocapsules comprise the gene under the control of a promoter.
A method of forming a nanocapsule matrix, the method comprising:
- combining a plurality of nanocapsules, a binder and an excipient to form a nanocapsule matrix, wherein the nanocapsule matrix is capable of releasing the nanocapsules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.