Researchers study novel drug-deliverysystem1 October 2014, by Erin Garrett

S. Narasimha Murthy (left) observes graduate studentAbhishek Juluri as they conduct research on cyclodextrinderivatives.

University of Mississippi School of Pharmacyresearchers are studying an improved method fordelivering drugs that treat pain and inflammation.

Narasimha Murthy, associate professor ofpharmaceutics, and Abhishek Juluri, apharmaceutics doctoral student, are pursuing newcompounds that enable easier drug deliverythrough the skin. Their work is supported by acollaborative agreement with LigandPharmaceuticals Inc.

The project centers on a patented cyclodextrinderivative supplied by Ligand. Cyclodextrins arecyclic carbohydrates with a "bucket-like cavity"within the molecules, Murthy said.

"They entrap water-insoluble drug molecules in thecavity and render them soluble in water," he said."The cyclodextrin derivatives we are using areprepared with multiple charges that enhance thetransport of water-insoluble drugs."

Murthy said that Ligand's cyclodextrin derivativescan help highly lipophilic drugs such as steroids,anti-inflammatory drugs and antilipidemics (lipid- orfat-reducing drugs), which tend to remain in tissue,

enter the circulatory system more effectively throughthe skin.

"Presently, there are no permeation enhancers toaddress this issue efficiently," said Juluri, who isusing the project for his dissertation. "I'm excitedthat Ligand's unique cyclodextrin derivative couldovercome this issue."

Murthy said that utilizing cyclodextrin derivatives fordermal and transdermal delivery could havenumerous applications.

"We would like to continue to explore themechanisms associated with this phenomenon, aswell as the potential of cyclodextrin derivatives indelivering drugs used to treat arthritis, infectionsand metabolic disorders," he said.

Juluri and Murthy have already seen promisingoutcomes. Their work on Ligand's cyclodextrinderivative Captisol, for example, was recentlypublished in the Journal of Controlled Release.

According to Ligand, Captisol is a patent-protected,chemically modified cyclodextrin with a structuredesigned to optimize the solubility and stability ofdrugs. The original form of Captisol was inventedand initially developed by scientists in thelaboratories of Valentino Stella at the University ofKansas Higuchi Biosciences Center for use in drugdevelopment and formulation.

This unique technology has enabled six Food andDrug Administration-approved products, includingOnyx Pharmaceuticals' (now a subsidiary ofAmgen) Kyprolis, Baxter International's Nexteroneand Merck's NOXAFIL IV. Also, more than 30Captisol-enabled products are in clinicaldevelopment.

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"Our results show that an anesthetic drug, propofol,could be delivered in therapeutically significantamounts into the circulatory system to elicit mildsedation and anesthesia," Juluri said. "We hope todevelop a delivery system that would be useful innoninvasive induction and maintenance ofanesthesia in pediatric patients."

For the two Ole Miss researchers, next stepsinclude developing topical drug formulations to beevaluated in animal models, Murthy said.

Provided by University of Mississippi

APA citation: Researchers study novel drug-delivery system (2014, October 1) retrieved 21 April 2015 from http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-10-drug-delivery.html

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