Microencapsulation of protein particles within lipids using a novel supercritical fluid process

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Developing solvent-free methods for protein encapsulation is crucial for drug delivery.
• Lipid-based microparticles offer potential for controlled release applications.
• Supercritical fluid technology presents an eco-friendly alternative for particle fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce solvent-free, protein-loaded microparticles using supercritical fluid technology.
• To evaluate the impact of different lipid coatings (trimyristin and Gelucire) on protein release.
• To assess the stability of encapsulated bovine serum albumin (BSA) after processing.

Main Methods:

• Solvent-free microencapsulation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) using supercritical CO2.
• Coating microparticles with high-melting-point lipids: trimyristin (Dynasan114) and Gelucire50-02.
• Characterization of microparticle morphology, protein content, and in vitro release profiles.

Main Results:

• Dynasan114 resulted in discontinuous, crystalline coatings with a rapid BSA burst release (~70% in 30 min).
• Gelucire50-02 formed a homogeneous, film-like coating, enabling prolonged BSA release over 24 hours.
• Bovine serum albumin (BSA) remained undegraded after supercritical CO2 treatment.

Conclusions:

• Supercritical fluid technology is effective for producing solvent-free, lipid-coated microparticles for protein delivery.
• Gelucire50-02 is a promising coating material for achieving sustained release of proteins.
• The chosen supercritical conditions preserve protein integrity during microparticle fabrication.