Preterm birth is a leading global public health challenge, affecting 15 million infants annually and accounting for one million neonatal deaths due to complications. Progesterone supplementation is the only evidence-based intervention to prevent spontaneous preterm birth in high-risk pregnant women, but conventional formulations (oral, intramuscular, vaginal) are limited by low bioavailability, severe local irritation, poor patient compliance, or cultural acceptance barriers. To address these unmet clinical needs, we developed a biodegradable sustained-release injectable progesterone gel and evaluated its performance in a rat model. The optimized formulation exhibited favorable injectability and controlled in vitro release forming a stable ellipsoidal gel depot in the release medium. In vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats preformed a comparable experiment of a single biodegradable gel injection with lower single dose (63 mg) compared with commercial oil injection of daily injection to 8 times with total dose of 80 mg. Results showed that the 20% gel formulations maintained stable plasma progesterone concentrations for 7 consecutive days (Cmax-Cmin = 1.31 μg/mL), outperforming commercial oil injections in concentration stability (Cmax-Cmin = 1.76 μg/mL) and bioavailability (average plasma concentration 3.60 μg/mL vs. 2.94 μg/mL). Histopathological analysis confirmed acceptable biocompatibility with mild local tissue response. This novel sustained-release gel offered a promising delivery strategy for progesterone, overcoming key drawbacks of conventional formulations by providing stable therapeutic concentrations, reducing local irritation, and eliminating the need for frequent injections. The study gained significant potential as a patient-centered option for preterm birth prevention in high-risk pregnancies, providing a patient-friendly option for clinical applications.

Objective: Conventional progesterone (P4) formulations suffer from low bioavailability, severe local irritation, and poor patient adherence due to P4’s poor aqueous solubility. This work aimed to develop and screen a biodegradable PLGA/NMP (Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) injectable in situ gel for sustained P4 delivery to overcome these clinical limitations. Significance: Commercial oral, vaginal, and oil-based intramuscular P4 preparations cannot maintain stable long-term drug exposure, and they cause injection-site pain/inflammation. The screened in situ depot system reduces administration frequency and local tissue irritation, supporting convenient luteal phase support and pregnancy maintenance. Methods: Nine formulations with variable P4 loading (10–50% w/w) and PLGA concentration (15–55% w/w) were fabricated. Formulations were screened via three core endpoints: injectability (injection force and discharge rate), in vitro sustained release in 10% Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD)-Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) sink medium, and 7-day subcutaneous histocompatibility in rats. high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was validated for progesterone quantification; Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining assessed local inflammatory responses. Results: Formulations with progesterone ≤ 30% w/w and PLGA ≤ 35% w/w exhibited acceptable injectability (injection force < 50 N; discharge rate > 79%). Higher PLGA concentrations suppressed initial burst release (16.74% at 8 h for 35% PLGA vs. 29.8% for 20% PLGA). All formulations formed stable ellipsoidal subcutaneous depots and completed progesterone release within 4 days. Histopathology revealed only mild local inflammation (histological score = 1) without severe necrosis, superior to highly irritating oil injections in formulation control groups. Conclusions: The screened PLGA-based progesterone in situ gel resolves critical drawbacks of traditional progesterone dosage forms. This low-irritation, sustained-release injectable platform provides a scalable industrial formulation candidate for long-acting hormone therapy.

Insufficient intratumor drug distribution and serious adverse effects are often associated with systemic chemotherapy for cervical cancer. Considering the location of cervical cancer, access to the cervix through the vagina may provide an alternative administration route for high drug amounts at the tumor site, minimal systemic exposure as well as convenience of non-invasive self-medication. Enormous progress has been made in nanomedicine to improve mucosal penetration and enhance the effectiveness of therapy for cervical cancer. This review article first introduce the physiological state of cervicovaginal cavity and the characteristics of intravaginal environment in cervical cancers. Based on introduction to the physiological state of cervicovaginal cavity and the characteristics of intravaginal environment in cervical cancers, both "first mucus-adhering then mucosal penetration" and "first mucus-penetrating then mucosal penetration" strategies are discussed with respect to mechanism, application condition, and examples. Finally, existing challenges and future directions are envisioned in the rational design, facile synthesis, and comprehensive utilization of nanomedicine for local therapy of cervical cancer. This review is expected to provide useful reference information for future research on nanomedicine for intravaginally administered formulations for topical treatment of cervical cancer.

Objective:To develop an etonogestrel (ENG)/ethinyl estradiol (EE) compound vaginal ring with good sustained-release properties, studying its in vitro release assay methodology, and establishing an accelerated release method with good correlation with real-time release methods. Methods:Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) was used as the matrix to prepare ENG/EE compound vaginal ring by hot melt extrusion method, and an in vitro real-time release assay method and an accelerated release assay method based on shake flask method were established. The in vitro release behavior and release mechanism of ENG/EE compound vaginal ring were investigated, and the correlation between real-time release and accelerated release over time was analyzed. Results:The obtained vaginal ring had a round appearance and a smooth surface, and the drug was slowly released under the optimal real-time release conditions in vitro (release medium: 200 mL of pure water, shaking at 60 r/min in a constant temperature water bath shaker at 37 ℃), and the cumulative release of ENG and EE on the 21st day were 54.39% and 46.80%, respectively. The correlation coefficients of drug release and its mechanism under the optimized in vitro accelerated conditions (release medium: 200 mL of 0.6% sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous solution, shaking at 60 r/min at 55 ℃) with the results under real-time release conditions were all greater than 0.99. Conclusion:The ENG/EE compound vaginal ring obtained in this study has a significant in vitro sustained-release effect, and the established accelerated release conditions have a good correlation with real-time release conditions, which can provide a useful reference for the quality evaluation research of such vaginal ring products and the formulation of guidelines for in vitro release research methods.

Background: Subcutaneous injection of biopharmaceutical agents or microparticles is challenging due to issues with low injection efficiency and high residual amounts. Objective: This study aimed to determine the important factors affecting the injectability of microparticle delivery systems, establish a suitable injection system with lower injection force and higher discharge rate, and eventually develop a reliable injectability evaluation system for injectable microparticle delivery systems in vitro andin vivo. Methods: The effects of various parameters, including particle size, injection speed, concentration of microspheres suspension, vehicle viscosity, needle length and gauge were evaluated by measuring the injection force and discharge rate. The characteristics of microparticles and rheological measurement of the suspension systems were studied. A design of experiment approach was utilized to evaluate the interaction between the microsphere suspension, vehicle viscosity and needle gauges. Both in vitro sieve tests andin vivo tests in rats were conducted to evaluate injectability. Results: The in vitro test results showed that the vehicle viscosity and injection speed have varying effects on discharge rate and injection force, respectively. Particle size and needle gauge have substantial influence on injectability, larger particle size and smaller needle gauges resulting in poor injectability, while the needle gauge was found to have the greatest influence on injectability. Levonorgestrel (LNG) microsphere and glass bead were relatively uniform spherical, the glass bead had extremely smooth surface; while mesoporous silica had irregular shape. The settling rate of glass bead was the fastest, which was about 18 times faster than the LNG microsphere. The CMC-Na had a poor interaction with the LNG microspheres, glass bead and mesoporous silica and showed basically Newtonian behavior in the shear rate range of 0.1 s- 1-100 s-1. When shear rate increased to more than 100 s-1, no obvious shear thinning behavior was observed. CMC-Na formed a nodule structure with whether LNG microspheres or the glass beads, which were much lower than that with the mesoporous silica in static state, among which the glass beads were the weakest. The viscosity of the suspension increased with the rising of the volume fraction of particles. Fundamentals of hydrodynamics in capillaries were referenced, such as Navier-Stokes Law equation, Krieger-Dougherty (K-D) equation, Hagen-Poiseuille equation. The best results achieved was using a suspension concentration of 120-240 mg /mL and a viscosity of 60 cP at 20 degrees C with 23-gauge needles. The optimized conditions were verified in vivo tests. It was proven that the LNG microsphere suspen-sion had a good injectability when injected into subcutaneous tissue of rats. Conclusion: The injection system of injectable microparticle delivery system with lower injection force and higher discharge rate was established and the evaluation method was suitable for the injectability evaluation both in vivo and in vitro. Improved injectability would promote the clinical translation of microparticle delivery systems.

In the original publication [...].

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is one of the most common sexual complaints in women. Currently, there is an unmet need for a drug treatment for this disorder. The purpose of this study was to develop a testosterone (TS) film forming gel used for women to treat HSDD by measuring the tackiness, peel adhesion force, tensile strength, and elasticity of the formulation. Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (Transcutol P), an efficient penetration enhancer, was added to the optimized formulation and the transdermal permeation characteristics in vitro were studied using Franz-diffusion cells. The quantitative determination of TS was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After 24 h, Transcutol P at 3% had the largest cumulative amount of drug and enhancement ratio of TS of 75.14 μg/cm 2 and 2.82, respectively. After the screening of film forming polymers and penetration enhancers, the optimal formulation was as follows: glycerol (1%, w/w); 12.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) aqueous solution (0.5%, w/w); 2.5% Carbomer ethanol solution (0.5%, w/w); Transcutol P ethanol solution (3%, w/w) containing 0.5% TS; and 8% Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution (30%, w/w). The optimized film forming gel had good uniformity and the release of TS in vitro was close to 100% within 24 h. In vivo studies showed the formulations had optimal area under blood drug concentration curve values in the order of 3% Transcutol P > 1% Transcutol P > 5% Transcutol P > control preparation. The formulation with 3% Transcutol P provided the highest permeation effect both in vitro and in vivo . The safety of this formulation was further evaluated with a skin irritation test. It could effectively improve the rabbit skin irritation observed with a marketed transdermal patch Androderm®. The present study provides a promising approach for the development of a novel TS film forming gel for the treatment of HSDD in women.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2013.07.015.].

目的:开发中药流化床制粒颗粒生长过程预测模型,将中药制剂处方工艺研发由传统实验室试错法向科学化、数字化与智能化转变.方法:采用SolidWorks Premium软件构建流化床顶喷制粒机基本工况,采用ANSYS ICEM CFD软件划分工况网格.采用计算流体力学(computational fluid dynamics,CFD)构建颗粒成型数学模型,自定义颗粒成型机制规则并将其编制成用户自定义函数.将所构建的CFD模型分别用于金钱草提取物和垂盆草提取物流化床制粒工艺数值模拟研究,同时进行流化床制粒实验验证,对比数值模拟与实验结果的一致性.结果:模拟结果显示,金钱草提取物颗粒和垂盆草提取物颗粒的粒径均随模拟时间延长而增大,且粒径分布逐渐变宽.床层内颗粒的速度、颗粒与流体混合相的压力因颗粒粒径的不断变化而发生相应变化.颗粒粒径增长速率及颗粒空间分布状态的实验结果与数值模拟结果均具有较好的一致性.结论:对中药流化床制粒颗粒增长趋势的模拟可用于预测或判断处方工艺的适宜性,从而对最终颗粒的关键质量属性进行有效控制.

To investigate the potential of cell penetrating peptide (CPP) modification on nanomedicine for improving mucosal penetration and effective therapy of cervical cancer, docetaxel nanocrystals modified with trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide were designed for treatment of cervical cancer via vaginal administration. Docetaxel nanocrystals were coated by polymerization of dopamine to form polydopamine (PDA) coating which facilitated TAT modification and PEGylation for less mucus entrapment to get PEGylated nanocrystals modified with TAT (NC@PDA-PEG-TAT). Enhanced cellular drug uptake and cytotoxicity of NC@PDA-PEG-TAT was observed in cervical cancer-related TC-1 cells than that of PEGylated nanocrystals (NC@PDA-PEG). Intravaginally administered NC@PDA-PEG-TAT dispersed in poloxamer 407-based thermosensitive gel exhibited prolonged in vivo intravaginal retention, deeper mucosal penetration and more potent inhibition on the growth of murine orthotopic cervical cancer than NC@PDA-PEG, PDA-coated nanocrystals or unmodified nanocrystals. All data suggested the significance of CPP-modification on nanocrystals in the local treatment of vaginal mucosa-related diseases by vaginal administration.

In recent years, the world community has aroused interest in family planning as a prioritized strategy to improve maternal health, and China has also incorporated reproductive health into its national development strategies. Safe and effective contraceptive methods for women of childbearing age to prevent unwanted pregnancy and reduce abortion, is an important measure to improve their reproductive health. This paper firstly summarizes the global market demand for female contraceptive products. Then, starting from the early research and development (R&D) stages such as raw materials selection, pre-formulation and formulation investigations, this paper discusses the R&D thoughts of contraceptives including long-acting biodegradable implants and microsphere injections. Finally, we review the application prospects of 3D printing, computer simulation and artificial intelligence in this field. Interdisciplinary integration of pharmaceutical and computer science is expected to inspire and change the development mode of traditional preparations, as well as to help accelerate the industrialization of contraceptives.

Sandostatin long-acting release® (SLAR) is a long-acting injectable somatostatin analogue formulation composed of octreotide encapsulated in glucose-initiated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres. Despite the end of patent protection, SLAR remains resistant to generic competition likely due to complexity of production process, the uniqueness of the glucose star polymer, and the instability of octreotide in the formulation. Here, we describe development of glucose-PLGA-based composition-equivalent to SLAR formulations prepared by double emulsion-solvent evaporation method and the effect of variations in encapsulation variables on release kinetics and other formulation characteristics. The following encapsulation variables were adjusted at constant theoretical loading of 7.0% peptide: PLGA concentration, pH of inner water phase, and stirring rate. After final drying, the microspheres were examined with and without annealing at 50 °C under vacuum for 3 days. The loading and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of octreotide acetate, manufacturing yield, and in vitro drug release kinetics in PBStc (10 mM phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with 1% triethyl citrate and 0.02% sodium azide at pH 7.4) were determined by UPLC. The in vitro release and acylation kinetics of octreotide for the solvent evaporation formulations prepared were similar to SLAR although the initial burst was slightly higher. Key formulation steps identified to maximize microsphere yield and minimize residual solvent and initial burst release included (a) addition of acetic acid to the peptide before preparation and (b) annealing the microspheres under vacuum after drying. Controlled release octreotide formulations prepared and investigated in this study could provide a better understanding of the effect of production variables on release performance and supply information useful for making progress in manufacturing of SLAR generic equivalents.

The objective of this study was to predict the droplet size and the spraying angle during the process of binder atomization in pharmaceutical fluidized bed granulation using an empirical model. The effects of the binder viscosity, the atomization pressure, and the spray rate on the droplet size and the spraying angle were investigated using a response surface central composite design and analysis of variance. Prediction models for droplet size and spraying angle were then established using stepwise regression analysis and were validated by comparing the measured and predicted values. The results showed that the droplet size model and the spraying angle model were well established, with an R-2 of 0.93 (p < 0.0001) and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 10.10, and an R-2 of 0.82 (p < 0.0001) and an RMSE of 3.69, respectively. The error between the measured and predicted values of the droplet size and the spraying angle were less than 10%, indicating that the established models were accurate. The results of the present study were significant in predicting the droplet size and spraying angle in the process of pharmaceutical fluidized bed granulation.

Sandostatin LAR (SLAR) is an injectable long-acting release (LAR) microsphere formulation for octreotide based on a biodegradeable glucose star copolymer of D,L-lactic and glycolic acids (PLGA-glu), which is primarily used for the treatment of patients with acromegaly. There currently is no generic SLAR approved in the United States despite expiration of patent coverage. To understand better this important formulation, SLAR was assessed for its composition and physical-chemical properties. Octreotide release kinetics was monitored under physiological conditions over 56 days together with several bioerosion parameters [mass loss, water uptake, pH of release media, polymer molecular weight (Mw), and confocal microscopy after BODIPY uptake]. A significant increase in the amount of released peptide occurred after day 14. After 1 day of incubation in PBST, octreotide was not extractable completely from SLAR during 2 h of the extraction process, but complete extraction was accomplished after 24 h, which suggested that strong and noncovalent PLGA-octreotide interactions occurred beginning in the initial release phase. Leuprolide is considered as a cationic peptide competitor for octreotide-PLGA interactions and its presence in the release medium resulted in more continuous octreotide release from SLAR, which was linearly correlated with the mass loss from the polymer (i.e., an indication of erosion-controlled release). These data strongly suggest that octreotide forms a salt with acid end groups of linear PLGA chains that are either present as impurities in, and/or produced by the degradation of, the PLGA-Glu. This salt is expected to catalyze octreotide acylation and extend peptide release beyond that driven by erosion control. The characterization studies of physicochemical properties of SLAR described here could be useful for the development and regulatory evaluation of generic octreotide microspheres as well as new polymer formulations, in which the polymer strongly interacts with encapsulated peptides.

子宫内膜癌的化疗耐药性问题显著,迫切需要新的治疗方案.随着对肿瘤发病机制和信号传导通路的深入研究,以及表观遗传修饰作用机制的阐明,靶向药物研究为子宫内膜癌的治疗提供了新的方法和手段.本文综述了表皮生长因子受体拮抗剂、血管内皮生长因子抑制剂、PI3K/Akt/mTOR通路抑制剂、PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂和表观遗传修饰抑制剂等靶向药物在子宫内膜癌治疗领域的研究进展,为临床用药提供新思路.

近年来,美国FDA大力倡导制药工业采用“质量源于设计(quality by design,QbD)”理念或建模与模拟技术来理解生产工艺.数值模拟技术因其经济性、科学性与直观性等优势,成为建模与模拟技术的主要工具之一,广泛应用于口服固体制剂混合、制粒、研磨、辊压、压片和包衣等多个系列单元操作.本文通过系统检索近20年的相关文献,对流化床制粒数值模拟技术的基本研究思路及其常用方法(离散元法、群体平衡模型、计算流体动力学)进行了总结,分别从气固流动、颗粒成形和颗粒干燥三方面综述了流化床制粒数值模拟技术研究进展.此外,提炼出当前研究存在的潜在问题及挑战,并对流化床制粒数值模拟技术的应用前景进行了展望.

The present study was carried out to investigate the potential of cationic functionalization on imatinib nanocrystals to improve the mucoadhesiveness and, thus, delivery to the lesion of cervicovaginal tumors. Amino-group-functionalized imatinib nanocrystals (NC@PDA-NH2) were prepared with near-spheroid shape, nanoscale size distribution, positive zeta potential, and relatively high drug content with the aid of the polydopamine-coating technique. Efficient interaction between NC@PDA-NH2 and mucin was proven by mucin adsorption which was related to the positive zeta-potential value of NC@PDA-NH2 and the change in the size distribution on mixing of NC@PDA-NH2 and mucin. Cellular uptake, growth inhibition, and apoptosis induction in cervicovaginal cancer-related cells demonstrated the superiority of NC@PDA-NH2 over unmodified nanocrystals. For practical intravaginal administration, NC@PDA-NH2 was dispersed in Pluronic F127-based thermosensitive in situ hydrogel, which showed suitable gelation temperature and sustained-release profiles. In comparison with unmodified nanocrystals, NC@PDA-NH2 exhibited extended residence on ex vivo murine vaginal mucosa, prolonged in vivo intravaginal residence, and enhanced inhibition on the growth of murine orthotopic cervicovaginal model tumors indicated by smaller tumor size, longer median survival time, and more intratumor apoptosis with negligible mucosal toxicity. In conclusion, cationic functionalization endowed NC@PDA-NH2 significant mucoadhesiveness and, thus, good potential against cervicovaginal cancer via intravaginal administration.

PURPOSE:Hormone-dependent breast cancer is the most common form of breast cancer, and inhibiting 17β-HSD1 can play an attractive role in decreasing estrogen and cancer cell proliferation. However, the majority of existing inhibitors have been developed from estrogens and inevitably possess residual estrogenicity. siRNA knockdown provides a highly specific way to block a targeted enzyme, being especially useful to avoid estrogenicity. Application of 17β-HSD1-siRNA in vivo is limited by the establishment of an animal model, as well as the potential nuclease activity in vivo. We tried to reveal the in vivo potential of 17β-HSD1-siRNA-based breast cancer therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS:To establish a competent animal model, daily subcutaneous injection of an estrone micellar aqueous solution was adopted to provide the substrate for estradiol biosynthesis. The effects of three different doses of estrone (0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 µg/kg/day) on tumor growth in T47D-17β-HSD1-inoculated group were investigated and compared with the animals inoculated with wild type T47D cells. To solve in vivo delivery problem of siRNA, "17β-HSD1-siRNA/LPD", a PEGylated and modified liposome-polycation-DNA nanoparticle containing 17β-HSD1-siRNA was prepared by the thin film hydration method and postinsertion technology. Finally, "17β-HSD1-siRNA/LPD" was tested in the optimized model. Tumor growth and 17β-HSD1 expression were assessed. RESULTS:Comparison with the untreated group revealed significant suppression of tumor growth in "17β-HSD1-siRNA/LPD"-treated group when HSD17B1 gene expression was knocked down. CONCLUSION:These findings showed promising in vivo assessments of 17β-HSD1-siRNA candidates. This is the first report of an in vivo application of siRNA for steroid-converting enzymes in a nude mouse model.

RNA干扰技术(RNAi)因其具有高效、高特异性、低毒等优点在生物医药领域方面潜力巨大,为新药的研发提供了非常好的思路.通过合理设计、化学修饰及载体可在一定程度上解决小干扰RNA (siRNA)药物快速降解、细胞摄取率低和脱靶效应等问题.笔者主要从适应证、给药方式及纳米载体等几个方面对进入临床试验的siRNA药物进行综述,为从事siRNA药物研发的研究者提供参考.