Nano spray drying: a novel method for preparing protein nanoparticles for protein therapy

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Protein nanotherapeutics show promise for treating cancer, diabetes, and asthma.
• Conventional spray drying methods struggle with low collection efficiency for fine protein nanoparticles (<2μm).
• A single-step, high-yield production method for protein nanoparticles is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of the Nano Spray Dryer B-90 for producing bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles.
• To optimize experimental conditions for nanoparticle size and morphology using a Taguchi robust design.
• To achieve high yield (>70%) production of protein nanoparticles in a single step.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Nano Spray Dryer B-90 with vibrating mesh spray and electrostatic particle collection.
• Employed a Taguchi L(18) orthogonal array to study five variables: spray mesh size, BSA concentration, surfactant concentration, drying air flow rate, and inlet temperature.
• Analyzed the impact of these variables on nanoparticle size and morphology (axial ratio).

Main Results:

• Spray mesh size and surfactant concentration were the primary factors influencing particle size and morphology, respectively.
• Drying air flow rate and inlet temperature had minimal effects on nanoparticle characteristics.
• Optimized conditions yielded smooth, spherical BSA nanoparticles (median size: 460±10nm, axial ratio: 1.03±0.00) with a high yield of 72±4%.

Conclusions:

• The Nano Spray Dryer B-90 is a viable and simple alternative for producing protein nanoparticles.
• This technology offers a single-step approach with high yield for nanoparticle production.
• The optimized process is suitable for developing protein nanoparticles for diverse drug delivery applications.