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Park SC, Jeong DE, Han SW, Chae JS, Lee JY, Kim HS, Kim B, Kang JG. Vaccine Development for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Dogs. J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s12275-024-00119-y. [PMID: 38635002 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-024-00119-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a life-threatening viral zoonosis. The causative agent of this disease is the Dabie bandavirus, which is usually known as the SFTS virus (SFTSV). Although the role of vertebrates in SFTSV transmission to humans remains uncertain, some reports have suggested that dogs could potentially transmit SFTSV to humans. Consequently, preventive measures against SFTSV in dogs are urgently needed. In the present study, dogs were immunized three times at two-week intervals with formaldehyde-inactivated SFTSV with two types of adjuvants. SFTSV (KCD46) was injected into all dogs two weeks after the final immunization. Control dogs showed viremia from 2 to 4 days post infection (dpi), and displayed white pulp atrophy in the spleen, along with a high level of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling assay (TUNEL) positive area. However, the inactivated SFTSV vaccine groups exhibited rare pathological changes and significantly reduced TUNEL positive areas in the spleen. Furthermore, SFTSV viral loads were not detected at any of the tested dpi. Our results indicate that both adjuvants can be safely used in combination with an inactivated SFTSV formulation to induce strong neutralizing antibodies. Inactivated SFTSV vaccines effectively prevent pathogenicity and viremia in dogs infected with SFTSV. In conclusion, our study highlighted the potential of inactivated SFTSV vaccination for SFTSV control in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Chan Park
- Bio-Safety Research Institute and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, 54531, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Eun Jeong
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, 54531, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Woo Han
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Seok Chae
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Bumseok Kim
- Bio-Safety Research Institute and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, 54531, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Gu Kang
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, 54531, Republic of Korea.
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AboulFotouh K, Almanza G, Yu YS, Joyce R, Davenport GJ, Cano C, Williams Iii RO, Zanetti M, Cui Z. Inhalable dry powders of microRNA-laden extracellular vesicles prepared by thin-film freeze-drying. Int J Pharm 2024; 651:123757. [PMID: 38160992 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are endogenous vesicles that comprise a variety of submicron vesicular structures. Among these, exosomes have been widely investigated as delivery systems for small and large molecules. Herein, the thin-film freeze-drying technology was utilized to engineer aerosolizable dry powders of miR-335-laden induced EVs (iEV-335) generated in B cells for potential delivery into the lung to treat primary lung cancer and/or pulmonary metastases. The size distribution, structure, and morphology of iEV-335 were preserved after they were subjected to thin-film freeze-drying with the proper excipients. Importantly, iEV-335, in liquid or reconstituted from thin-film freeze-dried powders, were equally effective in downregulating SOX4 gene expression in LM2 human triple-negative mammary cancer cells. The iEV-335 dry powder compositions showed mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD) of around 1.2 µm with > 60 % of the emitted doses had an MMAD of ≤ 3 µm, indicating that the powders can potentially achieve efficient deposition within the alveolar region following oral inhalation, which is desirable for treatment of primary lung cancer and pulmonary metastases. Overall, it is concluded that it is feasible to apply thin-film freeze-drying to prepare aerosolizable dry powders of iEVs for pulmonary delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled AboulFotouh
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Gonzalo Almanza
- The Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; FutuRNA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yu-Sheng Yu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Robert Joyce
- FutuRNA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gregory J Davenport
- TFF Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1751 River Run, Suite 400, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Chris Cano
- TFF Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1751 River Run, Suite 400, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Robert O Williams Iii
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Maurizio Zanetti
- The Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; FutuRNA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Moon C, Sahakijpijarn S, Maier EY, Taft DR, Jara MO, Praphawatvet T, Manandhar R, Shetty N, Lubach J, Narang A, Nagapudi K, Williams RO. Inhaled JAK Inhibitor GDC-0214 Nanoaggregate Powder Exhibits Improved Pharmacokinetic Profile in Rats Compared to the Micronized Form: Benefits of Thin Film Freezing. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:564-580. [PMID: 38215042 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Asthma is a common chronic disease affecting the airways in the lungs. The receptors of allergic cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, trigger the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, which involves the pathogenesis of asthma. GDC-0214 is a JAK inhibitor that was developed as a potent and selective target for the treatment of asthma, specifically targeting the lungs. While inhaled GDC-0214 is a promising novel treatment option against asthma, improvement is still needed to achieve increased potency of the powder formulation and a reduced number of capsules containing powder to be inhaled. In this study, high-potency amorphous powder formulations containing GDC-0214 nanoaggregates for dry powder inhalation were developed using particle engineering technology, thin film freezing (TFF). A high dose per capsule was successfully achieved by enhancing the solubility of GDC-0214 and powder conditioning. Lactose and/or leucine as excipients exhibited optimum stability and aerosolization of GDC-0214 nanoaggregates, and aerosolization of the dose was independent of air flow through the device between 2 and 6 kPa pressure drops. In the rat PK study, formulation F20, which contains 80% GDC-0214 and 20% lactose, resulted in the highest AUC0-24h in the lungs with the lowest AUC0-24h in the plasma that corresponds to a 4.8-fold higher ratio of the lung-to-plasma exposures compared to micronized crystalline GDC-0214 powder administered by dry powder inhalation. Therefore, GDC-0214 nanoaggregates produced by TFF provided an improved dry powder for inhalation that can lead to enhanced therapeutic efficacy with a lower risk of systemic toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaeho Moon
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Sawittree Sahakijpijarn
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- TFF Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Austin, Texas 78753, United States
| | - Esther Y Maier
- Drug Dynamics Institute, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78723, United States
| | - David R Taft
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States
| | - Miguel O Jara
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Tuangrat Praphawatvet
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | | | - Nivedita Shetty
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Joseph Lubach
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Ajit Narang
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Karthik Nagapudi
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Robert O Williams
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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AboulFotouh K, Southard B, Dao HM, Xu H, Moon C, Williams Iii RO, Cui Z. Effect of lipid composition on RNA-Lipid nanoparticle properties and their sensitivity to thin-film freezing and drying. Int J Pharm 2024; 650:123688. [PMID: 38070660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
A library of 16 lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations with orthogonally varying lipid molar ratios was designed and synthesized, using polyadenylic acid [poly(A)] as a model for mRNA, to explore the effect of lipid composition in LNPs on (i) the initial size of the resultant LNPs and encapsulation efficiency of RNA and (ii) the sensitivity of the LNPs to various conditions including cold storage, freezing (slow vs. rapid) and thawing, and drying. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was employed to identify the optimal lipid molar ratios and interactions that favorably affect the physical properties of the LNPs and enhance their stability in various stress conditions. LNPs exhibited distinct responses under each stress condition, highlighting the effect of lipid molar ratios and lipid interactions on the LNP physical properties and stability. It was then demonstrated that it is feasible to use thin-film freeze-drying to convert poly(A)-LNPs from liquid dispersions to dry powders while maintaining the integrity of the LNPs. Importantly, the residual moisture content in LNP dry powders significantly affected the LNP integrity.Residual moisture content of ≤ 0.5% or > 3-3.5% w/w negatively affected the LNP size and/or RNA encapsulation efficiency, depending on the LNP composition. Finally, it was shown that the thin-film freeze-dried LNP powders have desirable aerosol properties for potential pulmonary delivery. It was concluded that Design of Experiments can be applied to identify mRNA-LNP formulations with the desired physical properties and stability profiles. Additionally, optimizing the residual moisture content in mRNA-LNP dry powders during (thin-film) freeze-drying is crucial to maintain the physical properties of the LNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled AboulFotouh
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Benjamin Southard
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Huy M Dao
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Haiyue Xu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Chaeho Moon
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert O Williams Iii
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Wang JL, Southard B, Jara MO, Yu YS, Xu H, Kalafat J, Williams RO, Cui Z. Viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Thin-Film Freeze-Dried Powders Filled in Delayed-Release Vegetarian Capsules in a Simulated Gastric Fluid. AAPS PharmSciTech 2023; 24:193. [PMID: 37740105 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-023-02644-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, we have shown that thin-film freeze-drying can be applied to prepare dry powders of bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. Herein, we tested the viability of L. acidophilus in thin-film freeze-dried powders (TFF powders) filled in delayed-release vegetarian capsules in a simulated gastric fluid (SGF) consisting of 0.1N hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride. Initially, we determined the water removal rate from frozen thin films on relatively larger scales (i.e., 10-750 g). We then prepared and characterized two TFF powders of L. acidophilus with either sucrose and maltodextrin or sucrose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMC-AS), a pH-sensitive polymer, as excipients and evaluated the viability of the bacteria after the TFF powders were filled in delayed-release vegetarian capsules and the capsules were incubated in the SGF for 30 min. On 10-750 g scales and at the settings specified, water removal from frozen thin films was faster than from slow shelf-frozen bulk solids. When the L. acidophilus in sucrose and HPMC-AS TFF powder was filled into a delayed-release capsule that was placed into another delayed-release capsule, the bacterial viability reduction after incubation in the SGF can be minimized to within 1 log in colony forming unit (CFU). However, for the L. acidophilus in sucrose and maltodextrin TFF powder, even in the capsule-in-capsule dosage form, bacterial CFU reduction was > 2 logs. TFF powders of live microorganisms containing an acid-resistant material in capsule-in-capsule delayed-release vegetarian capsules have the potential for oral delivery of those microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Liang Wang
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Benjamin Southard
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Miguel O Jara
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yu-Sheng Yu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Haiyue Xu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Robert O Williams
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
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Montero DA, Garcia-Betancourt R, Vidal RM, Velasco J, Palacios PA, Schneider D, Vega C, Gómez L, Montecinos H, Soto-Shara R, Oñate Á, Carreño LJ. A chimeric protein-based vaccine elicits a strong IgG antibody response and confers partial protection against Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1186368. [PMID: 37575242 PMCID: PMC10413102 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1186368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen that causes gastrointestinal infections, ranging from acute diarrhea and dysentery to life-threatening diseases such as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Currently, a vaccine to prevent STEC infection is an unmet medical need. Results We developed a chimeric protein-based vaccine targeting seven virulence factors of STEC, including the Stx2B subunit, Tir, Intimin, EspA, Cah, OmpT, and AggA proteins. Immunization of mice with this vaccine candidate elicited significant humoral and cellular immune responses against STEC. High levels of specific IgG antibodies were found in the serum and feces of immunized mice. However, specific IgA antibodies were not detected in either serum or feces. Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells producing IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17 was observed in the spleens of immunized mice. Notably, the immunized mice showed decreased shedding of STEC O157:H7 and STEC O91:H21 strains and were protected against weight loss during experimental infection. Additionally, infection with the STEC O91:H21 strain resulted in kidney damage in control unimmunized mice; however, the extent of damage was slightly lower in immunized mice. Our findings suggest that IgG antibodies induced by this vaccine candidate may have a role in inhibiting bacterial adhesion and complement-mediated killing. Conclusion This study provides evidence that IgG responses are involved in the host defense against STEC. However, our results do not rule out that other classes of antibodies also participate in the protection against this pathogen. Additional work is needed to improve the protection conferred by our vaccine candidate and to elucidate the relevant immune responses that lead to complete protection against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Montero
- Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Richard Garcia-Betancourt
- Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto M. Vidal
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Programa de Microbiología y Micología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juliana Velasco
- Unidad de Paciente Crítico, Clínica Hospital del Profesor, Santiago, Chile
- Programa de Formación de Especialista en Medicina de Urgencia, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo A. Palacios
- Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Schneider
- Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Vega
- Plataforma Experimental, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leonardo Gómez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Hernán Montecinos
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Soto-Shara
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ángel Oñate
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Leandro J. Carreño
- Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Yu YS, AboulFotouh K, Xu H, Williams G, Suman J, Cano C, Warnken ZN, C-W Wu K, Williams Iii RO, Cui Z. Feasibility of intranasal delivery of thin-film freeze-dried, mucoadhesive vaccine powders. Int J Pharm 2023; 640:122990. [PMID: 37127138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Intranasal vaccination by directly applying a vaccine dry powder is appealing. However, a method that can be used to transform a vaccine from a liquid to a dry powder and a device that can be used to administer the powder to the desired region(s) of the nasal cavity are critical for successful intranasal vaccination. In the present study, using a model vaccine that contains liposomal monophosphoryl lipid A and QS-21 adjuvant (AdjLMQ) and ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen, it was shown that thin-film freeze-drying can be applied to convert the liquid vaccine containing sucrose at a sucrose to lipid ratio of 15:1 (w/w) into dry powders, in the presence or absence of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt (CMC) as a mucoadhesive agent. Ultimately, the thin-film freeze-dried AdjLMQ/OVA vaccine powder containing 1.9% (w/w) of CMC (i.e., TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% powder) was selected for additional evaluation because the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% powder was mucoadhesive and maintained the integrity of the antigen and the physical properties of the vaccine. Compared to the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA powder that did not contain CMC, the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% powder had a lower moisture content and a higher glass transition temperature. In addition, the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% thin films were relatively thicker than the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA thin films without CMC. When sprayed with Aptar Pharma's Unidose Powder Nasal Spray System (UDSP), the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA powder and the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% powder generated similar particle size distribution curves, spray patterns, and plume geometries. Importantly, after the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% powder was sprayed with the UDSP nasal device, the integrity of the OVA antigen and the AdjLMQ liposomes did not change. Finally, a Taguchi L4 orthogonal array was applied to identify the optimal parameters for using the UDSP device to deliver the TFF AdjLMQ/OVA/CMC1.9% vaccine powder to the middle and lower turbinate and the nasopharynx regions in both adult and child nasal replica casts. Results from this study showed that it is feasible to apply the TFF technology to transform a nasal vaccine candidate from liquid to a dry powder and then use the UDSP nasal device to deliver the TFF vaccine powder to the desired regions in the nasal cavity for intranasal vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sheng Yu
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, Texas, United States; National Taiwan University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Khaled AboulFotouh
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Haiyue Xu
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, Texas, United States
| | | | | | - Chris Cano
- TFF Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Fort Worth, TX, United States
| | | | - Kevin C-W Wu
- National Taiwan University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan; National Health Research Institute, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Robert O Williams Iii
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, Texas, United States.
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Xu H, Moon C, Sahakijpijarn S, Dao HM, Alzhrani RF, Wang JL, Williams RO, Cui Z. Aerosolizable Plasmid DNA Dry Powders Engineered by Thin-film Freezing. Pharm Res 2023; 40:1141-1152. [PMID: 36703028 PMCID: PMC9879621 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-023-03473-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study was designed to test the feasibility of using thin-film freezing (TFF) to prepare aerosolizable dry powders of plasmid DNA (pDNA) for pulmonary delivery. METHODS Dry powders of pDNA formulated with mannitol/leucine (70/30, w/w) with various drug loadings, solid contents, and solvents were prepared using TFF, their aerosol properties (i.e., mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and fine particle fraction (FPF)) were determined, and selected powders were used for further characterization. RESULTS Of the nine dry powders prepared, their MMAD values were about 1-2 µm, with FPF values (delivered) of 40-80%. The aerosol properties of the powders were inversely correlated with the pDNA loading and the solid content in the pDNA solution before TFF. Powders prepared with Tris-EDTA buffer or cosolvents (i.e., 1,4-dioxane or tert-butanol in water), instead of water, showed slightly reduced aerosol properties. Ultimately, powders prepared with pDNA loading at 5% (w/w), 0.25% of solid content, with or without Tris-EDTA were selected for further characterization due to their overall good aerosol performance. The pDNA powders exhibited a porous matrix structure, with a moisture content of < 2% (w/w). Agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed the chemical integrity of the pDNA after it was subjected to TFF and after the TFF powder was actuated. A cell transfection study confirmed that the activity of the pDNA did not change after it was subjected to TFF. CONCLUSION It is feasible to use TFF to produce aerosolizable pDNA dry powder for pulmonary delivery, while preserving the integrity and activity of the pDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyue Xu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Chaeho Moon
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | | | - Huy M. Dao
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Riyad F. Alzhrani
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Jie-liang Wang
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Robert O. Williams
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
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