Methods For and Products From Encapsulation of Drugs in Nanoparticles in a Microgravity Environment
AssigneeAphios Corporation
InventorTrevor Percival Castor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is disclosed for producing targeted nanoencapsulated therapeutics in a microgravity environment using supercritical, critical and near-critical fluids with and without polar cosolvents. Using the disclosed technology, nanosomes for delivering Bryostatin-1 and other Bryoids are produced in microgravity. The resulting nanosomes are smaller, more uniform, with a higher surface area to volume than those produced in gravity-based environments and have an average diameter between 0.001 to 20.000 nanometer. The resultant therapeutics may be used for treating chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV, and Alzheimer's disease.
Claims20
A method of making phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a solution of a phospholipid material dissolved in a first fluid, said first fluid consisting of a supercritical, critical or near-critical fluid with or without polar cosolvent;
- b) forming a solution of a hydrophobic drug in a second fluid, said second fluid is an alcohol;
- c) mixing phospholipid-enriched solution in first fluid with a solution of a hydrophobic drug in in an alcohol-based solution;
- d) depressurizing said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug solution, and as said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug exits one or more orifices in the presence of a low solubility fluid, said low solubility fluid having low volatility and said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in concentrations which exceed said solubility of said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in said low solubility fluid, said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug forming phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers and said first fluid removed during depressurization;
- e) freezing and thawing said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug solution in a microgravity environment and forming phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers;
- and
- f) wherein at least one step is performed in said microgravity environment.
A therapeutic product comprising of a hydrophobic drug encapsulated in a phospholipid liposome having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers made by:
- a) providing a solution of a phospholipid material dissolved in a first fluid, said first fluid consisting of a supercritical, critical or near-critical fluid with or without polar cosolvent;
- b) forming a solution of a hydrophobic drug in a second fluid, said second fluid is an alcohol;
- c) mixing phospholipid-enriched solution in first fluid with a solution of a hydrophobic drug in in an alcoholic solution;
- d) depressurizing said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug solution, and as said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug exits one or more orifices in the presence of a low solubility fluid, said low solubility fluid having low volatility and said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in concentrations which exceed said solubility of said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in said low solubility fluid, said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug forming phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers and said first fluid removed during depressurization;
- e) freezing and thawing said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug solution in a microgravity environment and forming phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200 nanometers;
- and
- f) wherein at least one step is performed in a said microgravity environment.
A method of making phospholipid nanosomes, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a solution of a phospholipid material drug dissolved in a first fluid, said first fluid consisting of a supercritical, critical or near-critical fluid;
- b) forming a solution of a hydrophobic drug in a second fluid, said second fluid is an alcohol;
- c) mixing phospholipid-enriched solution in first fluid with a solution of a hydrophobic drug in in an alcoholic solution;
- and
- d) depressurizing said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug solution to ambient pressure in a microgravity environment wherein said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug exits one or more orifices in the presence of a low solubility fluid, said low solubility fluid having low volatility and said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in concentrations which exceed said solubility of said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug in said low solubility fluid, said phospholipid material and hydrophobic drug forming phospholipid nanosomes having an average diameter between 0.001 and 200.000 nanometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.