Solubilization of timolol maleate in reversed micellar systems. Measurement of particle size using SAXS and PCS

Tools shaping drug discovery and development

Spectroscopic, scattering, and imaging methods play an important role in advancing the study of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical therapies. The tools more familiar to scientists within industry and beyond, such as nuclear magnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy, serve two functions: as simple high-throughput techniques for identification and purity analysis, and as potential tools for measuring dynamics and structures of complex biological systems, from proteins and nucleic acids to membranes and nanoparticle delivery systems. With the expansion of commercial small-angle x-ray scattering instruments into the laboratory setting and the accessibility of industrial researchers to small-angle neutron scattering facilities, scattering methods are now used more frequently in the industrial research setting, and probe-less time-resolved small-angle scattering experiments are now able to be conducted to truly probe the mechanism of reactions and the location of individual components in complex model or biological systems. The availability of atomic force microscopes in the past several decades enables measurements that are, in some ways, complementary to the spectroscopic techniques, and wholly orthogonal in others, such as those related to nanomechanics. As therapies have advanced from small molecules to protein biologics and now messenger RNA vaccines, the depth of biophysical knowledge must continue to serve in drug discovery and development to ensure quality of the drug, and the characterization toolbox must be opened up to adapt traditional spectroscopic methods and adopt new techniques for unraveling the complexities of the new modalities. The overview of the biophysical methods in this review is meant to showcase the uses of multiple techniques for different modalities and present recent applications for tackling particularly challenging situations in drug development that can be solved with the aid of fluorescence spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and small-angle scattering.

How the ESRF helps industry and how they help the ESRF

The ESRF has worked with, and provided services for, the pharmaceutical industry since the construction of its first protein crystallography beamline in the mid-1990s. In more recent times, industrial clients have benefited from a portfolio of beamlines which offer a wide range of functionality and beam characteristics, including tunability, microfocus and micro-aperture. Included in this portfolio is a small-angle X-ray scattering beamline dedicated to the study of biological molecules in solution. The high demands on throughput and efficiency made by the ESRF's industrial clients have been a major driving force in the evolution of the ESRF's macromolecular crystallography resources, which now include remote access, the automation of crystal screening and data collection, and a beamline database allowing sample tracking, experiment reporting and real-time at-a-distance monitoring of experiments. This paper describes the key features of the functionality put in place on the ESRF structural biology beamlines and outlines the major advantages of the interaction of the ESRF with the pharmaceutical industry.

Applications of X-ray scattering in pharmaceutical science

The use of X-ray scattering techniques in pharmaceutical science is increasing, in part through increased collaborations with the materials science community, and through increased availability of instrumentation, particularly synchrotron sources. The ability to understand not only the biopharmaceutical outcome, but also arguably, more importantly, the structural aspects of drugs and drug delivery systems, is essential to progressing pharmaceutical science; this review serves as an introduction to the major techniques and the wide range of areas in which X-ray scattering may be applied in understanding and controlling structure in pharmaceutical systems.

Physicochemical investigation of acrylamide solubilization in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate and lecithin reversed micelles

The state of acrylamide confined within dry sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) and lecithin reversed micelles dispersed in CCl(4) has been investigated by FTIR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Measurements have been performed at 25 degrees C as a function of the acrylamide-to-surfactant molar ratio (R) at a fixed surfactant concentration (0.1 mol kg(-1)). The analysis of experimental data, corroborated by the results of SAXS measurements, is consistent with the hypothesis that acrylamide is quite uniformly distributed among reversed micelles mainly located in proximity to the surfactant head-group region and that its presence induces significant unidimensional growth of micellar aggregates. Moreover, the confinement of acrylamide within reversed micelles involves some changes of the typical H-bonded structure of pure solid acrylamide attributable to the establishment of system-specific acrylamide/surfactant head group interactions. Preliminary experiments showed that, by exposure to X-rays, the polymerization of acrylamide can be induced in the confined space of dry AOT and lecithin reversed micelles.

Physicochemical characterization of colloidal drug delivery systems such as reverse micelles, vesicles, liquid crystals and nanoparticles for topical administration

Topical administration of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals involves a variety of different formulations of which colloidal drug carrier systems are currently of particular interest. After a short introduction of reverse micellar solutions, liquid crystals, vesicles and nanoparticles, appropriate methods of physicochemical characterization are introduced including X-ray diffraction, laser light scattering, electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Emphasis is laid on topical applications of the colloidal drug delivery systems (DDS) covered, with the main objective of both sustained drug release and improved stability of DDS.

Photon correlation spectroscopy investigations of proteins

Physical principles of photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), mathematical treatment of the PCS data (converting autocorrelation functions to distribution functions or average characteristics), and PCS applications to study proteins and other biomacromolecules in aqueous media are described and analysed. The PCS investigations of conformational changes in protein molecules, their aggregation itself or in consequence of interaction with other molecules or organic (polymers) and inorganic (e.g. fumed silica) fine particles as well as the influence of low molecular compounds (surfactants, drugs, salts, metal ions, etc.) reveal unique capability of the PCS techniques for elucidation of important native functions of proteins and other biomacromolecules (DNA, RNA, etc.) or microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, Dunaliella viridis, etc.). Special attention is paid to the interaction of proteins with fumed oxides and the impact of polymers and fine oxide particles on the motion of living flagellar microorganisms analysed by means of PCS.