Micro Swirl-Nozzle Enables Portable Delivery ofLarge-Molecule Biopharmaceuticals to the Lung

• Large-molecule pharmaceuticals offer new treatment options for severe lung disease. However, delivering these drugs to the lung is challenging due to the elevated shear rates during the aerosolization process. So far, this has prevented an application in portable inhalers, holding back the portable use of biopharmaceuticals for drug delivery. We demonstrate that a micro swirl nozzle can aerosolize fragile biopharmaceuticals in an aqueous solution. Shear rate simulations of the nozzle unit indicate orders of magnitude in shear rate reduction compared with conventional aqueous aerosolization units. Catalase protein can survive the aerosolization process at up to 50 bar without significant degradation. The protein further remains enzymatically active after the spray event.Using an in-vitro model, we present the delivery of more complex and fragile mRNA structures (Nanoluc mRNA) at high concentrations when encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) or Extracellular vesicles (EVs). These vesicles maintain their capability to pass the cell wall in in-vitro cell cultures, leading to an expression of the encapsulated protein structure within the celll. Micro swirl nozzles can enable the portable delivery of large molecule pharmaceuticals and bring new treatment options to patients who have so far had to rely on stationary devices.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Medicinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Medical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Swirl nozzle

Aerosolization

LNPs

transport vesicles

large-molecule pharmaceutics

Applied Medical Technology

Tillämpad medicinsk teknik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)