Novel delivery systems for improving the clinical use of peptides.

Peptides have long been recognized as a promising group of therapeutic substances to treat various diseases. Delivery systems for peptides have been under development since the discovery of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. The challenge of using peptides as drugs arises from their poor bioavailability resulting from the low permeability of biological membranes and their instability. Currently, subcutaneous injection is clinically the most common administration route for peptides. This route is cost-effective and suitable for self-administration, and the development of appropriate dosing equipment has made performing the repeated injections relatively easy; however, only few clinical subcutaneous peptide delivery systems provide sustained peptide release. As a result, frequent injections are needed, which may cause discomfort and additional risks resulting from a poor administration technique. Controlled peptide delivery systems, able to provide required therapeutic plasma concentrations over an extended period, are needed to increase peptide safety and patient compliancy. In this review, we summarize the current peptidergic drugs, future developments, and parenteral peptide delivery systems. Special emphasis is given to porous silicon, a novel material in peptide delivery. Biodegradable and biocompatible porous silicon possesses some unique properties, such as the ability to carry exceptional high peptide payloads and to modify peptide release extensively. We have successfully developed porous silicon as a carrier material for improved parenteral peptide delivery. Nanotechnology, with its different delivery systems, will enable better use of peptides in several therapeutic applications in the near future.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Coated Microneedle Arrays for Intradermal Antigen Delivery.

PURPOSE: To develop a new intradermal antigen delivery system by coating microneedle arrays with lipid bilayer-coated, antigen-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LB-MSN-OVA). METHODS: Synthesis of MSNs with 10-nm pores was performed and the nanoparticles were loaded with the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA), and coated with a lipid bilayer (LB-MSN-OVA). The uptake of LB-MSN-OVA by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BDMCs) was studied by flow cytometry. The designed LB-MSN-OVA were coated onto pH-sensitive pyridine-modified microneedle arrays and the delivery of LB-MSN-OVA into ex vivo human skin was studied. RESULTS: The synthesized MSNs demonstrated efficient loading of OVA with a maximum loading capacity of about 34% and the lipid bilayer enhanced the colloidal stability of the MSNs. Uptake of OVA loaded in LB-MSN-OVA by BMDCs was higher than that of free OVA, suggesting effective targeting of LB-MSN-OVA to antigen-presenting cells. Microneedles were readily coated with LB-MSN-OVA at pH 5.8, yielding 1.5 µg of encapsulated OVA per microneedle array. Finally, as a result of the pyridine modification, LB-MSN-OVA were effectively released from the microneedles upon piercing the skin. CONCLUSION: Microneedle arrays coated with LB-MSN-OVA were successfully developed and shown to be suitable for intradermal delivery of the encapsulated protein antigen.

Development of porous silicon nanocarriers for parenteral peptide delivery.

Porous silicon (PSi) is receiving growing attention in biomedical research, for example, in drug and peptide delivery. Inspired by several advantages of PSi, herein, thermally oxidized (TOPSi, hydrophilic), undecylenic acid-treated thermally hydrocarbonized (UnTHCPSi, moderately hydrophilic), and thermally hydrocarbonized (THCPSi, hydrophobic) PSi nanocarriers are investigated for sustained subcutaneous (sc) and intravenous (iv) peptide delivery. The route of administration is shown to affect drastically peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36) release from the PSi nanocarriers in mice. Subcutaneous nanocarriers are demonstrated to be capable to sustain PYY3-36 delivery over 4 days, with the high absolute bioavailability values of PYY3-36. The pharmacokinetic parameters of PYY3-36 are presented to be similar between the sc PSi nanocarriers despite surface chemistry. In contrast, iv-delivered PSi nanocarriers display significant differences between the surface types. Overall, these results demonstrate the feasibility of PSi nanocarriers for the sustained sc delivery of peptides.

Mesoporous silicon (PSi) for sustained peptide delivery: effect of psi microparticle surface chemistry on peptide YY3-36 release.

PURPOSE: To achieve sustained peptide delivery via mesoporous silicon (PSi) microparticles and to evaluate the effects of different surface chemistries on peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36) delivery. METHODS: PYY3-36 was loaded into thermally oxidized (TOPSi), thermally hydrocarbonized (THCPSi) and undecylenic acid treated THCPSi (UnTHCPSi) microparticles with comparable porous properties. In vitro, PYY3-36 release was investigated by centrifuge. In vivo, PYY3-36 plasma concentrations were analyzed after delivery in microparticles or solution. RESULTS: Achieved loading degrees were high (12.2 - 16.0% w/w). PYY3-36 release was sustained from all microparticles; order of PYY3-36 release was TOPSi > THCPSi > UnTHCPSi both in vitro and in vivo. In mice, PSi microparticles achieved sustained PYY3-36 release over 4 days, whereas PYY3-36 solution was eliminated in 12 h. In vitro, only 27.7, 14.5 and 6.2% of loaded PYY3-36 was released from TOPSi, THCPSi and UnTHCPSi, respectively. Absolute PYY3-36 bioavailabilities were 98, 13, 9 and 38% when delivered subcutaneously in TOPSi, THCPSi, UnTHCPSi and solution, respectively. The results clearly demonstrate improved bioavailability of PYY3-36 via TOPSi and the importance of surface chemistry of PSi on peptide release. CONCLUSIONS: PSi represents a promising sustained and tailorable release system for PYY3-36.

Hyaluronan-based dissolving microneedles with high antigen content for intradermal vaccination: Formulation, physicochemical characterization and immunogenicity assessment.

The purpose of this study was to optimize the manufacturing of dissolving microneedles (dMNs) and to increase the antigen loading in dMNs to investigate the effect on their physicochemical properties. To achieve this, a novel single-array wells polydimethylsiloxane mold was designed, minimizing antigen wastage during fabrication and achieving homogeneous antigen distribution among the dMN arrays. Using this mold, hyaluronan (HA)-based dMNs were fabricated and tested for maximal ovalbumin (OVA) content. dMNs could be fabricated with an OVA:HA ratio as high as 1:1 (w/w), without compromising their properties such as shape and penetration into the ex vivo human skin, even after storage at high humidity and temperature. High antigen loading did not induce protein aggregation during dMN fabrication as demonstrated by complementary analytical methods. However, the dissolution rate in ex vivo human skin decreased with increasing antigen loading. About 2.7 µg OVA could be delivered in mice by using a single array with an OVA:HA ratio of 1:3 (w/w). Intradermal vaccination with dMNs induced an immune response similar as subcutaneous injection and faster than after hollow microneedle injection. In conclusion, results suggest that (i) the polydimethylsiloxane mold design has an impact on the manufacturing of dMNs, (ii) the increase in antigen loading in dMNs affects the microneedle dissolution and (iii) dMNs are a valid alternative for vaccine administration over conventional injection.

Development of PLGA nanoparticle loaded dissolving microneedles and comparison with hollow microneedles in intradermal vaccine delivery.

Skin is an attractive but also very challenging immunisation site for particulate subunit vaccines. The aim of this study was to develop hyaluronan (HA)-based dissolving microneedles (MNs) loaded with PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) co-encapsulating ovalbumin (OVA) and poly(I:C) for intradermal immunisation. The NP:HA ratio used for the preparation of dissolving MNs appeared to be critical for the quality of MNs and their dissolution in ex vivo human skin. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation and dynamic light scattering were used to analyse the NPs released from the MNs in vitro. Successful release of the NPs depended on the drying conditions during MN preparation. The delivered antigen dose from dissolving MNs in mice was determined to be 1 µg OVA, in NPs or as free antigen, by using near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Finally, the immunogenicity of the NPs after administration of dissolving MNs (NP:HA weight ratio 1:4) was compared with that of hollow MN-delivered NPs in mice. Immunization with free antigen in dissolving MNs resulted in equally strong immune responses compared to delivery by hollow MNs. However, humoral and cellular immune responses evoked by NP-loaded dissolving MNs were inferior to those elicited by NPs delivered through a hollow MN. In conclusion, we identified several critical formulation parameters for the further development of NP-loaded dissolving MNs.

Hollow microneedle-mediated intradermal delivery of model vaccine antigen-loaded PLGA nanoparticles elicits protective T cell-mediated immunity to an intracellular bacterium.

The skin is an attractive organ for immunization due to the presence of a large number of epidermal and dermal antigen-presenting cells. Hollow microneedles allow for precise and non-invasive intradermal delivery of vaccines. In this study, ovalbumin (OVA)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles with and without TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) were prepared and administered intradermally by hollow microneedles. The capacity of the PLGA nanoparticles to induce a cytotoxic T cell response, contributing to protection against intracellular pathogens, was examined. We show that a single injection of OVA-loaded PLGA nanoparticles, compared to soluble OVA, primed both adoptively transferred antigen-specific naïve transgenic CD8+ and CD4+ T cells with markedly high efficiency. Applying a triple immunization protocol, PLGA nanoparticles primed also endogenous OVA-specific CD8+ T cells. Immune response, following immunization with in particular anionic PLGA nanoparticles co-encapsulated with OVA and poly(I:C), provided protection against a recombinant strain of the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, secreting OVA. Taken together, we show that PLGA nanoparticle formulation is an excellent delivery system for protein antigen into the skin and that protective cellular immune responses can be induced using hollow microneedles for intradermal immunizations.

Intradermal vaccination with hollow microneedles: A comparative study of various protein antigen and adjuvant encapsulated nanoparticles.

In this study, we investigated the potential of intradermal delivery of nanoparticulate vaccines to modulate the immune response of protein antigen using hollow microneedles. Four types of nanoparticles covering a broad range of physiochemical parameters, namely poly (lactic-co-glycolic) (PLGA) nanoparticles, liposomes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) were compared. The developed nanoparticles were loaded with a model antigen (ovalbumin (OVA)) with and without an adjuvant (poly(I:C)), followed by the characterization of size, zeta potential, morphology, and loading and release of antigen and adjuvant. An in-house developed hollow-microneedle applicator was used to inject nanoparticle suspensions precisely into murine skin at a depth of about 120µm. OVA/poly(I:C)-loaded nanoparticles and OVA/poly(I:C) solution elicited similarly strong total IgG and IgG1 responses. However, the co-encapsulation of OVA and poly(I:C) in nanoparticles significantly increased the IgG2a response compared to OVA/poly(I:C) solution. PLGA nanoparticles and liposomes induced stronger IgG2a responses than MSNs and GNPs, correlating with sustained release of the antigen and adjuvant and a smaller nanoparticle size. When examining cellular responses, the highest CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses were induced by OVA/poly(I:C)-loaded liposomes. In conclusion, the applicator controlled hollow microneedle delivery is an excellent method for intradermal injection of nanoparticle vaccines, allowing selection of optimal nanoparticle formulations for humoral and cellular immune responses.

IgG-loaded hyaluronan-based dissolving microneedles for intradermal protein delivery.

Dissolving microneedles are an attractive approach for non-invasive delivery of drugs via the skin, particularly when the doses are in the microgram or low-milligram range. The aim of the study was to develop hyaluronan-based, monoclonal IgG-loaded microneedles for intradermal delivery enabling efficient penetration and rapid dissolution in the skin while preserving protein stability. Microscopic analysis showed successful preparation of sharp microneedles with the tip length of ~280 µm and with up to 10% (w/w) of IgG content. The water content of the microneedles was ~12% and was not affected by the protein content. The protein distribution was uniform within microneedle tips and individual arrays but some array-to-array variation of IgG level within a single preparation batch was detected. After dissolution of microneedle arrays in PBS, N80% of protein was recovered and no conformational changes were detected by fluorescence spectroscopy. At submicron level, only weak and reversible interaction between HA and IgG was found by asymmetric flow field flow fractionation analysis after the dissolution of prepared microneedles. Although, the formation of insoluble micron-size particles was detected by flow imaging microscopy the IgG amount incorporated into these particles was negligible (b5%). Finally, microneedles were able to penetrate into the epidermis of ex vivo human skin followed by the rapid dissolution of the microneedle tips in the skin. After 10 min of application, the majority of the original tip length was dissolved and IgG and hyaluronan were co-deposited until a depth of 150-200 µm in the skin. In conclusion, developed hyaluronan-based dissolving microneedles allow rapid noninvasive intradermal protein delivery.

Nanocarriers and the delivered drug: effect interference due to intravenous administration.

Intravenously administered nanocarriers are widely studied to improve the delivery of various therapeutic agents. However, recent in vivo studies have demonstrated that intravenously administered nanocarriers that do not contain any drug may affect cardiovascular function. Here we provide an example where the drug and the nanocarrier both affect the same cardiovascular parameters following intravenous administration. The peptide ghrelin antagonist (GhA) increases arterial pressure, while thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon nanoparticles (THCPSi) transiently decrease it, as assessed with radiotelemetry in conscious rats. As a result, intravenous administration of GhA-loaded THCPSi nanoparticles partially antagonized GhA activity: arterial pressure was not increased. When the cardiovascular effects of GhA were blocked with atenolol pretreatment, GhA-loaded nanoparticles reduced arterial pressure to similar extent as drug-free nanoparticles. These data indicate that the biological activity of a drug delivered within a nanocarrier may be obscured by the biological responses induced by the nanocarrier itself.

Effect of surface chemistry of porous silicon microparticles on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) loading, release and biological activity.

Recently, mesoporous silicon (PSi) microparticles have been shown to extend the duration of action of peptides, reducing the need for frequent injections. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a potential novel treatment for type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether GLP-1 loading into PSi microparticles reduce blood glucose levels over an extended period. GLP-1 (pI 5.4) was loaded and released from the negatively charged thermally oxidized (TOPSi, pI 1.8) and thermally carbonized (TCPSi, pI 2.6) PSi microparticles and from the novel positively charged amine modified microparticles, designated as TOPSi-NH2-D (pI 8.8) and TCPSi-NH2-D (pI 8.8), respectively. The adsorption of GLP-1 onto the PSi microparticles could be increased 3-4-fold by changing the PSi surface charge from negative to positive, indicating that the positive surface charge of PSi promoted an electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged peptide. All the GLP-1 loaded PSi microparticles lowered the blood glucose levels after a single s.c. injection but surprisingly, TOPSi-NH2-D and TCPSi-NH2-D were not able to prolong the effect when compared to TOPSi, TCPSi or GLP-1 solution. However, TOPSi-NH2-D and TCPSi-NH2-D microparticles were able to carry improved payloads of active GLP-1 encouraging continuing further attempts to achieve sustained release.

Photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s for peptide delivery: Effect of oligomer hydrophobicity on PYY3-36 delivery.

The treatment for many diseases can be improved by developing more efficient peptide delivery technologies, for example, biodegradable polymers. In this work, photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s based on functionalized poly(ε-caprolactone) oligomers were investigated for their abilities to achieve controlled peptide delivery. The effect of oligomer hydrophobicity on erosion and peptide release from poly(ester anhydride)s was evaluated by developing a sustained subcutaneous delivery system for an antiobesity drug candidate, peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36). Oligomer hydrophobicity was modified with alkenylsuccinic anhydrides containing a 12-carbon alkenyl chain. PYY3-36 was mixed as a solid powder with methacrylated poly(ester anhydride) precursors, and this mixture was photocrosslinked at room temperature to form an implant for subcutaneous administration in rats. The oligomer hydrophobicity controlled the polymer erosion and PYY3-36 release as the increased hydrophobicity via the alkenyl chain prolonged polymer erosion in vitro and sustained in vivo release of PYY3-36. In addition, photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s increased the bioavailability of PYY3-36 by up to 20-fold in comparison with subcutaneous administration of solution, evidence of remarkably improved delivery. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the suitability of photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s for use in peptide delivery.

Characterization of internal structure, polymer erosion and drug release mechanisms of biodegradable poly(ester anhydride)s by X-ray microtomography.

Surface-eroding biodegradable polymers can provide many advantages in drug delivery, such as controllable and zero-order drug release. Photocrosslinkable poly(ester anhydride)s are a recently developed family of surface-eroding polymers with readily modifiable oligomer chemistry allowing tailoring of polymer properties. For example, in vivo release rate of peptide from photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s can be controlled by oligomer hydrophobicity. In this study, X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) was used to gain a deeper understanding on internal structure, polymer erosion and drug release mechanisms of photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s. Micro-CT is non-destructive and able to provide quantitative and qualitative information on the 3D structure of the sample in micrometer resolution. Photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride) samples with varying drug loading degrees (propranolol HCl 0%, 10% and 60% w/w) and hydrophobicity (with and without 12-carbon alkenyl chain) were prepared. The samples, both freshly prepared and exposed to buffer solution for varying durations were characterized by micro-CT. The results showed that drug release from photocrosslinked poly(ester anhydride)s was primarily controlled by the surface erosion. However, drug diffusion had also a significant role in drug release from less hydrophobic samples with very high (60% w/w) drug loading degrees. In conclusion, micro-CT is a valuable tool in the characterization of surface-eroding polymers.

In vitro dissolution methods for hydrophilic and hydrophobic porous silicon microparticles.

Porous silicon (PSi) is an innovative inorganic material that has been recently developed for various drug delivery systems. For example, hydrophilic and hydrophobic PSi microparticles have been utilized to improve the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs and to sustain peptide delivery. Previously, the well-plate method has been demonstrated to be a suitable in vitro dissolution method for hydrophilic PSi particles but it was not applicable to poorly wetting hydrophobic thermally hydrocarbonized PSi (THCPSi) particles. In this work, three different in vitro dissolution techniques, namely centrifuge, USP Apparatus 1 (basket) and well-plate methods were compared by using hydrophilic thermally carbonized PSi (TCPSi) microparticles loaded with poorly soluble ibuprofen or freely soluble antipyrine. All the methods showed a fast and complete or nearly complete release of both model compounds from the TCPSi microparticles indicating that all methods described in vitro dissolution equally. Based on these results, the centrifuge method was chosen to study the release of a peptide (ghrelin antagonist) from the THCPSi microparticles since it requires small sample amounts and achieves good particle suspendability. Sustained peptide release from the THCPSi microparticles was observed, which is in agreement with an earlier in vivo study. In conclusion, the centrifuge method was demonstrated to be a suitable tool for the evaluation of drug release from hydrophobic THCPSi particles, and the sustained peptide release from THCPSi microparticles was detected.

Nanostructured porous silicon microparticles enable sustained peptide (Melanotan II) delivery.

Peptide molecules can improve the treatment of a number of pathological conditions, but due to their physicochemical properties, their delivery is very challenging. The study aim was to determine whether nanostructured porous silicon could sustain the release and prolong the duration of action of a model peptide Melanotan II (MTII). Thermally hydrocarbonized nanoporous silicon (THCPSi) microparticles (38-53 µm) were loaded with MTII. The pore diameter, volume, specific surface area and loading degree of the microparticles were analyzed, and the peptide release was evaluated in vitro. The effects of MTII on heart rate and water consumption were investigated in vivo after subcutaneous administration of the MTII loaded microparticles. A peptide loading degree of 15% w/w was obtained. In vitro studies (PBS, pH 7.4, 37 °C) indicated sustained release of MTII from the THCPSi microparticles. In vivo, MTII loaded THCPSi induced an increase in the heart rate 2 h later than MTII solution, and the effect lasted 1 h longer. In addition, MTII loaded THCPSi changed the water consumption after 150 min, when the immediate effect of MTII solution was already diminished. The present study demonstrates that MTII loading into nanosized PSi pore structure enables sustained delivery of an active peptide.