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Published on: January 7, 2019
Antisolvent precipitation of lipid nanoparticles in microfluidic systems - A comparative study
Juliane Riewe1, Peer Erfle2, Sebastian Melzig3
1Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Pharmazeutische Technologie, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; Technische Universität Braunschweig, Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik - PVZ, Franz-Liszt-Str. 35a, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
Microfluidic systems effectively produce lipid nanoparticles for drug delivery. Different microsystems were compared, showing that high-pressure and herringbone mixers yielded the smallest particles.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
Background:
- Microsystems offer advanced methods for nanoparticle production.
- Lipid nanoparticles are crucial carriers for poorly water-soluble active substances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare lipid nanoparticle preparation using various microsystems.
- To evaluate different micromixer designs and a commercial platform against a batch setup.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of castor oil nanoemulsions and glycerol monooleate nanodispersions.
- Utilized a segmented-flow micromixer, high-pressure micromixer, and NanoAssemblr™ platform.
- Compared results with a reference batch preparation.
Main Results:
- Particle sizes ranged from 36-160 nm, reduced to 43-93 nm when surfactant was in the ethanolic phase.
- Modified segmented-flow micromixer reduced lipid deposition.
- High-pressure and herringbone mixers produced smallest particles, though sometimes with bimodal distributions.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic systems are valuable tools for producing lipid nanoparticles.
- Microsystem design and flow rates significantly impact particle size and distribution.
- Optimized microsystems can enhance nanoparticle formulation efficiency.
