Development of novel emulsion-based liquid pharmaceutical formulations to enable combination drug therapy

Sakellari, Georgia Ioanna ORCID: 0000-0001-5171-5944 (2024). Development of novel emulsion-based liquid pharmaceutical formulations to enable combination drug therapy. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

Sakellari2024PhD.pdf
Text - Accepted Version
Available under License All rights reserved.
Download (8MB)

Abstract

In recent years, major healthcare and social challenges have made it even more apparent that there is a growing need for the design and development of pharmaceutical modalities with patient centricity as their mainstay. Amongst these approaches, combination drug therapy has been endorsed for the aptitude to achieve improved clinical outcomes and consolidate the patient adherence to treatment regimes. Although technological strategies that enable the co-encapsulation and co-delivery of actives from within a sole microstructure have been realised for solid dosage forms, the liquid-based co-delivery formulations portfolio remains hitherto limited.
This thesis proposes the utilisation of lipid particle-stabilised (Pickering) emulsions as a promising liquid-based structuring strategy for the segregated co-encapsulation and subsequent independent co-delivery of two active ingredients. The impact of varying lipid particle formulation characteristics and encapsulation of a hydrophobic active (curcumin) on key indicators of Pickering behaviour were initially scrutinised. Compatibility between the lipid matrix constituents was suggested as a factor greatly affecting the particles’ characteristics, particularly their crystallinity. The capacity of the particles to serve as colloidal dual functional species was demonstrated, by acting as effective active carriers and release regulators of curcumin, and simultaneously stabilising o/w emulsion droplets through a Pickering mechanism. The particles maintained their dual role, irrespectively of changes in their structural properties. Alterations to the particles’ formulation parameters were shown as a useful means of tuning the release performance both within dispersion and emulsion settings. Part of their functionality as Pickering stabilisers was manifested through their capacity to serve as an interfacial barrier regulating the release of an additional hydrophobic active (cinnamaldehyde) encapsulated within the emulsion droplets. Co-encapsulation of the two hydrophobic actives did not compromise the co-delivery performance of the system, thus corroborating the appealing potential of the developed novel co-delivery formulation approach.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):