Sustained-Release Cagrilintide Microspheres With Initial Burst Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing formulations of cagrilintide and semaglutide require frequent administration due to short half-life and cause pain and inflammation at injection sites, limiting patient self-administration and efficacy.

Innovation Solution

Development of a sustained-release microsphere containing high cagrilintide and semaglutide content with a biodegradable polymer and initial burst inhibiting agent, ensuring high bioavailability and long-term drug release with minimal initial burst.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If a large amount of microsphere is administered to ensure long-term effective pharmacological effect, then the drug release duration is extended, but the difficulty of self-administration increases and the risk of pain and inflammatory response at injection site increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug release durationVSAvoidself-administration ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the drug concentration parameter within the microsphere from low to high (8-20 wt%), which allows reducing the total microsphere dosage while maintaining therapeutic effect. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling smaller injection volumes that are easier to self-administer while still providing sustained release over time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material composition within the microsphere, combining cagrilintide (or semaglutide) with specific biodegradable polymers (PLA, PGA, or PLGA) and initial burst inhibiting agents. This composite structure enables both high drug loading and controlled sustained release, reducing the required microsphere amount while maintaining long-term efficacy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If a large amount of microsphere is administered to ensure long-term effective pharmacological effect, then the drug release duration is extended, but the possibility of pain and inflammatory response at administration site increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug release durationVSAvoidpain and inflammatory response
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By changing the drug concentration parameter to high levels (8-20 wt%) within the microsphere, the total microsphere dosage is reduced. This reduces the physical burden and inflammatory potential at the injection site while maintaining sufficient drug delivery for long-term therapeutic effect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates initial burst inhibiting agents (phosphate salts, carbonate salts, or bicarbonate salts) into the microsphere formulation before administration. These agents preliminarily control the drug release kinetics, preventing excessive initial drug release that could cause local inflammation and pain, while ensuring sustained release over time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If the content of cagrilintide in the microsphere is increased to reduce administration amount, then the dosage is reduced, but the initial burst of drug release increases causing side effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadministration dosageVSAvoidinitial burst side effects
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material system combining high drug content (8-20 wt%) with specific biodegradable polymers (PLA, PGA, or PLGA) and initial burst inhibiting agents (phosphate, carbonate, or bicarbonate salts). This composite structure enables simultaneous achievement of reduced dosage and controlled release by using the polymer matrix to physically constrain the drug and the buffering agents to chemically regulate the release kinetics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously: drug content (8-20 wt%), polymer type (PLA/PGA/PLGA), and buffering agent concentration. By coordinating these parameter changes, the formulation achieves both high drug loading for reduced dosage and suppressed initial burst through controlled release kinetics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The microsphere formulation minimizes pain and side effects at administration sites, allows for self-administration, and provides sustained drug efficacy for over a month with reduced dosage.

Implementation Method 1

a sustained-release microsphere including cagrilintide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, semaglutide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a biodegradable polymer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBiodegradation: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 2

an initial burst inhibiting agent that show a high bioavailability of the cagrilintide because of high content of the cagrilintide, and exhibit a long-term stable drug release

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDrug release control:

Data Source

PatentEP4721730A1Pharmaceutical composition comprising sustained-release microsphere comprising cagrilintide or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and preparation method therefor
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 G2GBIO INC
  • EP4721730A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4721730A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4721730A1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising sustained-release microspheres composed of cagrilintide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, an initial burst inhibiting agent, and a biodegradable polymer, which has no rapid initial burst of the drug, contains a high content of the drug relative to the particle size, and has high bioavailability, thereby minimizing patient suffering and inflammatory responses that may occur upon administration to the human body, and is useful for the prevention or treatment of diabetes, beta-cell dysfunction, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or Alzheimer's disease.