Ionizable Lipid Composition for pH-Responsive Nanoparticle Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lipid nanoparticles lack effective targeting and self-assembly capabilities for efficient vaccine or drug delivery, particularly in enhancing cellular uptake and specificity.

Innovation Solution

Development of an ionizable lipid with a specific structure represented by formula (I) and a composition comprising ionizable lipid, phospholipid, sterol, and polyethylene glycol lipid, which forms lipid nanoparticles that can self-assemble and target cells effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If ionizable lipid is used to enhance targeting ability and cellular uptake, then vaccine or drug delivery efficiency is improved, but the complexity of lipid nanoparticle formulation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevaccine or drug delivery efficiencyVSAvoidlipid nanoparticle formulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials by formulating lipid nanoparticles with multiple lipid components including ionizable lipid, phospholipid, sterol, and PEG-lipid. This composite approach enables the nanoparticle to simultaneously achieve cellular uptake enhancement, targeting capability, and stability, resolving the contradiction between improved delivery efficiency and formulation complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The ionizable lipid undergoes parameter changes in its charge state depending on pH conditions - remaining neutral at physiological pH for low toxicity and becoming positively charged in endosomal environments to enhance cellular uptake. This dynamic parameter change allows the formulation to achieve high delivery efficiency without requiring permanently charged (and thus more complex) lipid structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If ionizable lipid maintains electrical neutrality under neutral conditions, then in vivo stability is improved, but the ability to bind to antibodies or peptides decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvein vivo stabilityVSAvoidantibody or peptide binding ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ionizable lipid exhibits dynamic charge properties that change with pH - remaining neutral at physiological pH for stability and becoming positively charged in acidic endosomal environments for enhanced binding and cellular uptake. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between maintaining stability under neutral conditions and achieving binding capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lipid nanoparticle undergoes periodic charge changes as it traverses different pH environments in the body - neutral in blood circulation for stability, then positively charged upon endosomal acidification for binding and uptake. This periodic charge modulation allows the system to sequentially achieve both stability and binding ability at appropriate physiological stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If specific lipid structure is designed to enhance self-assembly capability, then nanoparticle formation efficiency is improved, but the difficulty of synthesis increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenanoparticle formation efficiencyVSAvoidsynthesis difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lipid components are designed with self-assembling capabilities where the ionizable lipid, phospholipid, sterol, and PEG-lipid spontaneously organize into nanoparticle structures through hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. This self-service approach enables efficient nanoparticle formation without requiring complex external assembly processes, resolving the contradiction between formation efficiency and synthesis difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 ionizable lipid nanoparticles enhance cellular uptake and targeting ability, providing efficient vaccine or drug delivery by maintaining electrical neutrality under neutral conditions and positive charge under acidic conditions.

Implementation Method 1

maintaining electrical neutrality under neutral conditions and positive charge under acidic conditions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectpH-dependent ionization: Electrostatics

Implementation Method 2

the ionizable lipids are also useful for the self-assembly of nanoparticles and ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelf-assembly: Self-Assembly

Data Source

PatentEP4596531A1Ionizable lipid, preparation method thereof, and composition for preparing lipid nanoparticle
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 ACER INC
  • EP4596531A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4596531A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4596531A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ionizable lipid having a structure represented by the following formula (I): wherein Y is independently selected from a group consisting of -NH-, -O-, -S-, and a single bond; X is independently selected from -NR1R2 or a nitrogen-containing heteroaryl group; L1 and L2 are each independently selected from a group consisting of a C1-C10 alkylene group, a C2-C10 alkenylene group, ; R1 and R2 are each independently selected from a group consisting of H, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 hydrocarbyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 heterohydrocarbyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C20 aryl group, and a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 heteroaryl group; R3 is a C5-C30 alkyl group; R4 is a C5-C30 alkyl group; n is an integer selected from 1 to 10; and m and p are each independently an integer selected from 1 to 20.