Nanoshells prepared by atomic layer deposition - Long acting depots of indomethacin.

There is a trend in pharmaceutical research and development to develop depot formulations with dosing once weekly, once monthly, or even less frequently. A novel approach to achieve long acting injectable suspensions is to produce dense inorganic nanoshells with atomic layer deposition (ALD) on active pharmaceutical ingredients. Such particles can be suspended in an aqueous vehicle and administered subcutaneously.

Production and characterization of aluminium oxide nanoshells on spray dried lactose.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) enables deposition of dense nanometer thick metal oxide nanoshells on powder particles with precise thickness control. This leads to products with low weight fraction coating, also when depositing on nano- or micron sized powder particles. This study aimed at investigating the aluminium oxide nanoshell thickness required to prevent moisture sorption.

Powder compression mechanics of spray-dried lactose nanocomposites.

The aim of this study was to investigate the structural impact of the nanofiller incorporation on the powder compression mechanics of spray-dried lactose. The lactose was co-spray-dried with three different nanofillers, that is, cellulose nanocrystals, sodium montmorillonite and fumed silica, which led to lower micron-sized nanocomposite particles with varying structure and morphology. The powder compression mechanics of the nanocomposites and physical mixtures of the neat spray-dried components were evaluated by a rational evaluation method with compression analysis as a tool, using the Kawakita equation and the Shapiro-Konopicky-Heckel equation.

Structure and Mobility of Lactose in Lactose/Sodium Montmorillonite Nanocomposites.

This study aims at investigating the molecular level organization and molecular mobility in montmorillonite nanocomposites with the uncharged organic low-molecular-weight compound lactose commonly used in pharmaceutical drug delivery, food technology, and flavoring. Nanocomposites were prepared under slow and fast drying conditions, attained by drying at ambient conditions and by spray-drying, respectively. A detailed structural investigation was performed with modulated differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microcalorimetry, and molecular dynamics simulations.

Confinement of Amorphous Lactose in Pores Formed Upon Co-Spray Drying With Nanoparticles.

This study aims at investigating factors influencing humidity-induced recrystallization of amorphous lactose, produced by co-spray drying with particles of cellulose nanocrystals or sodium montmorillonite. In particular, the focus is on how the nanoparticle shape and surface properties influence the nanometer to micrometer length scale nanofiller arrangement in the nanocomposites and how the arrangements influence the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of the amorphous to crystalline transition. The nanocomposites were produced by co-spray drying.

Inhibition of Recrystallization of Amorphous Lactose in Nanocomposites Formed by Spray-Drying.

This study aims at investigating the recrystallization of amorphous lactose in nanocomposites. In particular, the focus is on the influence of the nano- to micrometer length scale nanofiller arrangement on the amorphous to crystalline transition. Further, the relative significance of formulation composition and manufacturing process parameters for the properties of the nanocomposite was investigated.

Pharmaceutical micro-particles give amorphous sucrose higher physical stability.

The aim of this study was to explore how pharmaceutical micro-sized filler particles affect the amorphous stability of sucrose in sucrose/filler particle composites produced by freeze-drying. Focus was put on the filler particles' properties crystallinity, hygroscopicity, hydrophobicity, and surface area, and their influence on physical stability of the amorphous phase. The micro-sized filler particles were examined with Blaine permeametry, gas adsorption, pycnometry, gravimetric vapour sorption, X-ray diffraction, and light microscopy before composites of sucrose and micro-sized filler particles were prepared by freeze-drying.