Publication practices and standards: recommendations from GSK Vaccines' author survey.

Background: Evolving standards of good publication practice (GPP) and a survey conducted in 2009 of authors, who were investigators and researchers not employed by the company prompted changes to GSK Vaccines' publication practices. We conducted a follow-up survey in 2012 to assess the company's revised practices and to evaluate understanding of GPP among investigators and researchers who had previously authored at least one publication in collaboration with GSK Vaccines.

Methods: The 50-question web-based survey addressed authoring practices and transparency of decision-making.

Monoglyceride-based self-assembling copolymers as carriers for poorly water-soluble drugs.

To develop self-assembling polymers forming polymeric micelles and increasing the solubility of poorly soluble drugs, amphiphilic polymers containing a hydrophilic PEG moiety and a hydrophobic moiety derived from monoglycerides and polyethers were designed. The biodegradable copolymers were obtained via a polycondensation reaction of polyethylene glycol (PEG), monooleylglyceride (MOG) and succinic anhydride (SA). Polymers with molecular weight below 10,000 g/mol containing a minimum of 40 mol% PEG and a maximum of 10 mol% MOG self-assembled spontaneously in aqueous media upon gentle mixing.

Spontaneously self-assembled micelles from poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-trimethylene carbonate) for drug solubilization.

Di-block copolymers composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and a second block of (co)polyesters of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) and/or trimethylene carbonate (TMC) were synthesized and characterized. Tin octoate was used as catalyst and polymerization were completed over a period of 24 h with high conversion (> 95%). Self-assembling properties in water were evaluated.

Prediction of drug solubility in amphiphilic di-block copolymer micelles: the role of polymer-drug compatibility.

The goal of the current study was to assess the value of predictive computational approaches for estimating drug solubility in hydrated micelles formed from di-block copolymers of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and random copolyesters of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) and trimethylene carbonate (TMC) using drug-polymer compatibility as assessed through the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (chi). In order to accomplish this, the compatibility of several well-known model drugs (associated with the four biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) classes) was assessed with both segments of the amphiphilic di-block copolymer PEG-b-P(CL-co-TMC). Compatibilities were estimated based on the Hansen modification of the Hildebrand approach using Molecular Modeling Pro software.

Characterization of self-assembling copolymers in aqueous solutions using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Fluorescence spectroscopy.

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy have been used to determine the micropolarity and microviscosity of self-assembling systems based on mmePEG-p(CL-co-TMC) having different PEG chain lengths and different CL/TMC ratios and PEG/MOG/SA (45/5/50) polymers with different PEG chain lengths. Four reporter probes have been used: two spin probes, 16-doxyl stearic acid and 5-doxylstearic acid, and two fluorescent probes, pyrene and 1,3-bis(1-pyrenyl) propane (P3P). We found that the micelles based on mmePEG-p(CL-co-TMC) polymers are of a biphasic nature.

Encapsulation of amphotericin B in poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-trimethylenecarbonate) polymeric micelles.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of self-assembling poly(ethyleneglycol)(750)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-trimethylenecarbonate)(4500) 50/50 copolymers (PEG-p(CL-co-TMC)) to solubilize amphotericin B in polymeric micelles and to disaggregate the drug to the less toxic monomeric form. Amphotericin B was encapsulated in the micelles upon dilution of a mixture of the liquid polymer and the drug in water. Its solubility was increased by two orders of magnitude depending on polymer concentration.

Biodegradable self-assembling PEG-copolymer as vehicle for poorly water-soluble drugs.

Purpose: To develop self-assembling systems increasing the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Methods: Low molecular weight liquid biodegradable copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization using caprolactone (CAP) and trimethylenecarbonate (TMC) as monomers. Various initiators were evaluated.

Adsorption of albumin, collagen, and fibronectin on the surface of poly(hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/HV) and of poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films modified by an alkaline hydrolysis and of poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET) track-etched membranes.

The effect of alkaline hydrolysis on several surface properties of poly(hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) (92/8) (PHB/HV) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films and of poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET) track-etched membranes have been characterized, as well as the adsorption of three proteins normally encountered by mammalian cells in vivo, namely albumin, collagen, and fibronectin. The water contact angle decreases and the number of -COOH functions accessible to a chemical reaction at the surface of PCL increases with alkaline hydrolysis. Analysis by atomic force microscopy pictures reveals a change in surface morphology.