Inhaled Ivermectin-Loaded Lipid Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles: Development and Characterization

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Oncology

Background:

• Ivermectin (IVM) shows anti-cancer potential but suffers from poor oral bioavailability due to low water solubility.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial to overcome IVM's limitations in cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and characterize ivermectin-loaded lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) for pulmonary administration.
• To evaluate the potential of LPHNPs as a novel delivery system for ivermectin in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

• LPHNPs were prepared using the emulsion solvent evaporation method.
• Characterization included particle size, morphology, entrapment efficiency, release kinetics, solid-state analysis (FTIR, DSC, TGA), and aerosolization properties (TSI).
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for ivermectin quantification.

Main Results:

• Spherical LPHNPs with sizes ranging from 302 to 350 nm were successfully prepared.
• Entrapment efficiency was between 68-80%, with sustained drug release over 96 hours.
• The nanoparticles exhibited good flowability and promising in vitro aerosolization properties with fine particle fractions (FPFs) of 18.53-24.77%.

Conclusions:

• Ivermectin-loaded LPHNPs are a viable formulation for pulmonary delivery.
• This approach holds promise for overcoming ivermectin's bioavailability issues and advancing its use in cancer therapy via the pulmonary route.