pH-Responsive Nanofibers for Precise and Sequential Delivery of Multiple Payloads

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing effective combination therapies requires precise control over drug release kinetics and sequence.
• Existing oral drug delivery systems often struggle with controlled sequential release of multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize pH-responsive dextran ester nanofibers for sequential and independent release of multiple payloads.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanofibers as a platform for oral drug delivery targeting the gastrointestinal tract.

Main Methods:

• Coesterification of dextran to create pH-responsive dextran esters.
• Fabrication of multilayered electrospun nanofibers encapsulating three distinct payloads.
• Assessment of payload release profiles triggered by a gradual increase in pH from 5.0 to 7.0.

Main Results:

• Synthesized dextran esters exhibited responsive properties at a specific pH threshold (5.0-7.0).
• Multilayered nanofibers successfully entrapped three different payloads.
• Sequential and independent drug release was achieved by modulating pH, mimicking gastrointestinal conditions.

Conclusions:

• Dextran ester multilayer nanofibers offer a promising strategy for programmable, sequential oral drug delivery.
• The pH-responsive nature and tunable release kinetics align with physiological conditions in the gastrointestinal tract.
• This platform holds potential for advancing combination therapies and improving patient outcomes.