(315f) Supercritical Fluid Processing And Precipitation Of Anti-Cancer Drugs With Lipid Biodegradable Polymers

Camptothecin is a commonly used anti-cancer drug limited by its poor water solubility. To overcome this limitation, drug encapsulation with three lipid biodegradable polymers (Precirol® ATO5, Compritol® 888 ATO and Gelucire® 43-01) has been investigated. The proposed lipids enhance the bioavailability of sensitive drugs, release agents in a controlled form and protect active ingredients from light, moisture and oxidation. Supercritical fluid (SCF) processing was used to precipitate and encapsulate the pharmaceutical drug through the precipitation from gas saturated solution (PGSS) and the supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) method. These methods allow for precise control, leading to the production of particles with controllable morphology, narrow size distribution and low static charge; factors that define the solubilities of the drugs in aqueous media of our body fluid system and affect the bioavailability and the efficacy of solid drugs in their delivery systems. Factors such as pressure and ultrasonic vibration were studied to analyze the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic effects with respect to particle formation and encapsulation of the drug with the proposed biodegradable lipids.