Process and apparatuses for preparing nanoparticle compositions with amphiphilic copolymers and their use

A method for preparing solid nanoparticles by flash precipitation comprising:

• flash precipitating solid nanoparticles comprising at least one amphiphilic copolymer and at least one organic additive target molecule by mixing 1) an organic solvent comprising said at least one amphiphilic copolymer and said at least one organic additive target molecule and 2) water or an aqueous solution comprising a buffering agent or salt,
• wherein said mixing comprises injecting the organic solvent and the water or aqueous solution as liquid streams into a confined mixing chamber,
• wherein said organic solvent is soluble with said water or aqueous solution and
• the mixing of said organic solvent and said water or aqueous solution results in a single product solvent that causes the precipitation of said amphiphilic copolymer and said target molecule as nanoparticles,
• wherein the organic additive target molecule to amphiphilic copolymer ratio by weight is at least 1:4 in said organic solvent,
• wherein the particle size of the resulting nanoparticles is a function of the temperature, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic character of at least one amphiphilic copolymer, and the mixing velocity of the process, and
• wherein the mixing velocity of the organic solvent and the water or aqueous solution is at least 0.1 m/sec.