Biomedical subjects

A J McHugh

Publications and source records attributed to A J McHugh.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

The role of polymer membrane formation in sustained release drug delivery systems.

A discussion of the role of polymer membrane-based drug delivery systems is presented. This is followed with a review of recent studies in our laboratories of the membrane formation and drug delivery characteristics of injectable polymer solution platforms. Attention is focused on the role of depot formulation in terms of solvent quality and water miscibility and polymer type (amorphous versus crystallizable), as well as the effects of bath-side additives on the in vitro release behavior. A quantitative model describing the protein release dynamics in fast phase inverting systems (FPI) is also discussed.

Crystallization↗

PubMed2005

A model for drug release from fast phase inverting injectable solutions.

A model is developed to describe protein release kinetics from injectable, polymer solution depots which undergo rapid phase inversion on injection. The model consists of a polymer-rich phase and a solvent-rich phase, consistent with experimentally observed phase inversion morphology. Equations in the polymer-rich phase are based on diffusion-reaction mass balances for solvent, water and dissolved drug, and the rate of dissolution of dispersed drug particles. Equations in the water-rich phase are also of the diffusion-reaction type. Transport parameters in the polymer-rich phase are coupled to the ternary thermodynamics through friction formalism, and remaining parameters are estimated from literature data, leaving two free parameters: volume fraction of water-rich phase (epsilon) and k, the mass-transfer coefficient for bath-side transfer of the protein. Variations of these parameters lead to predictions of release profiles that vary from a rapid, burst-like behavior followed by a locking-in of the polymer-rich phase, to a uniform, zero-order profile. Comparisons are made to lysozyme release data for three systems: PLGA solutions in N-methlypyrollidinone (NMP), PLA solutions in NMP, and the latter with added Pluronic. Good agreement between model predictions and data is shown; in particular, the transition from rapid release to zero-order kinetics that occurs on addition of Pluronic is illustrated.

Drug Delivery Systems↗

PubMed2003

The effect of Pluronic on the protein release kinetics of an injectable drug delivery system.

A new class of injectable controlled release depots has been prepared by incorporating materials that preferentially segregate during phase inversion. These consist of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) triblock copolymers (Pluronics) with poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLA)/1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) solutions. The effects of preferential segregation on the phase inversion dynamics and in vitro protein release kinetics were examined using dark ground imaging, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal microscopy. Variations in Pluronic concentration and molecular weight had an insignificant effect on the internal depot morphologies, however, increasing the concentration and molecular weight did result in increased phase separation rates and, surprisingly, a decrease in the magnitude of the protein burst, though the release profiles still retained a typical burst-type shape. Additionally, increasing the Pluronic concentration beyond a critical point resulted in a transition from a burst-type profile to an extended-release profile. An interpretation of these results in terms of a qualitative model for the protein release mechanism is also given.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical↗

PubMed2001

Role of crystallization in the phase inversion dynamics and protein release kinetics of injectable drug delivery systems.

The role of polymer crystallization in the phase inversion dynamics and in vitro protein release kinetics of semi-crystalline poly (epsilon-caprolactone) and amorphous poly (D,L-lactide) (PDLA) blend solutions has been examined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Varying the degree of crystallizability of the solutions led to the emergence of two general classes of depots. Depots with a high degree of crystallinity are characterized by porous morphologies indicative of solid-liquid (s--l) de-mixing and delayed burst release profiles. Alternatively, depots with a low degree of crystallinity are characterized by dense morphologies formed by mild liquid-liquid (l--l) phase separation and slow, uniform protein release rates. An interpretation of these results in terms of a qualitative model for the protein release mechanism is also given.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1999

Phase inversion dynamics of PLGA solutions related to drug delivery. Part II. The role of solution thermodynamics and bath-side mass transfer.

The role of solvent properties and bath-side composition on the phase inversion dynamics and in vitro protein release kinetics of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) solutions has been examined using dark ground imaging, in vitro release rate, and SEM techniques. Thermodynamic phase diagrams for three model systems (PLGA in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), triacetin, and ethyl benzoate) suggest two general classes of precipitation behavior, depending on the relative solvent strength and water miscibility. Drug release from the NMP-based system is primarily governed by the dynamics of phase inversion and exhibits a distinct burst region followed by a much slower release. Alternatively, depots with low solvent/water affinity (PLGA in triacetin or ethyl benzoate) undergo much slower phase inversion, resulting in a less porous, more fluid, two-phase structure that also releases protein more uniformly. Addition of a small chain triglyceride or organic salt to the aqueous receptor bath also evokes a significant increase in the mass transfer rate of protein from the low solvent/non-solvent affinity depots. An interpretation of these results in terms of a qualitative model for the protein release mechanism is also given.

Absorption↗

PubMed1999

Phase inversion dynamics of PLGA solutions related to drug delivery.

Dark ground optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been used to quantify the effects of formulation changes on the phase inversion dynamics and in vitro drug release properties of a PLGA-based drug delivery system. Gel growth rates and water influx rates are determined from plots of the square of the respective front motion with time. Results show that additives that accelerate the solution gelation rate at constant morphology result in high initial release rates. Conversely, additives that slow the rate of gelation dramatically reduce the initial drug release rate and lead to a more dense sponge-like morphology. Moreover, the phase inversion dynamics and morphology are the same regardless of whether the solutions are quenched with water, a PBS buffer solution or horse serum.

Buffers↗

PubMed1999

Sustained release of human growth hormone from PLGA solution depots.

PURPOSE: The effects of altering the dynamics of phase inversion of a polylactic glycolic acid (PLGA) solution depot on the sustained-release delivery profile of human growth hormone (hGH) were evaluated. The impact of adjusting the protein particle composition was also studied in a slow phase-inverting formulation. METHODS: Protein release profiles of depots prepared from four model solvents were generated by injecting formulations into the subcutaneous space of normal rats and monitoring hGH serum levels over the course of 1 month. Scanning electron microscopy, Coulometric Karl Fischer titration, size-exclusion liquid chromatography, and reversed-phase liquid chromatography were used to observe depot morphologies, bulk water absorption, PLGA degradation, and protein particle dissolution rates, respectively. RESULTS: An extended-release profile and significantly reduced burst effect resulted when the aqueous affinity of the depot solvent was reduced. As seen earlier in in vitro experiments, lowering the solvent's aqueous affinity slows the phase inversion rate, which in turn produces depot morphologies favorable to prolonged release. Protein burst on injection was entirely eliminated in a slow phase-inverting formulation by densifying the lyophilized protein particles. Unlike the use of metal cations to prolong release of some proteins in PLGA microsphere depots, this technique is more universal, and thus is potentially usable with any protein or highly soluble drug agent. The onset of biodegradation was observed to occur at 14 days for all depot formulations, however the bulk biodegradation rate slowed as the aqueous affinity of the depot solvent decreased. This result supports the hypothesis that, in a slow phase-inverting system, drug release over the first few weeks is governed by the diffusion rate of drug through the polymer solution. CONCLUSIONS: By taking advantage of the effects of low aqueous affinity and protein particle densification, a PLGA solution depot was produced with the capability of sustaining hGH levels in normal rats at a serum level of 10 to 200 ng/ml for 28 days.

Adsorption↗