Microfluidic Moxidectin Microparticles for Three-Month Sustained Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heartworm preventive drugs require frequent administration due to their short half-life, leading to potential gaps in protection and inconvenience, and they cause irritation and damage to animals due to regular injections.
Innovation Solution
The production of microparticles containing moxidectin using a biodegradable polymer and controlled microfluidics process, ensuring uniform size and sustained release over three months, reducing initial burst release and injection discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heartworm preventive drugs are administered regularly every month, then heartworm disease can be prevented, but animals are exposed to repeated injection discomfort and potential liver/kidney damage
Solution Approach 1:
The drug delivery system is segmented into multiple microparticles containing moxidectin, which are distributed uniformly throughout the injection site. This segmentation allows for sustained release over 3 months or more, eliminating the need for repeated monthly injections and reducing cumulative injection-related harm to the animal's liver, kidneys, and injection sites
Solution Approach 2:
The microparticles are pre-formulated with controlled release characteristics using biodegradable polymers, so that the drug is released automatically over the desired time period without requiring repeated administration. This preliminary preparation of sustained-release microparticles eliminates the need for subsequent monthly injections, reducing injection-related harm
2Ease of operation
If microparticles are designed for sustained release over 3 months or more, then administration convenience is improved, but manufacturing precision is required to control particle size and release rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the intrinsic viscosity of the biodegradable polymer within a specific range (0.1-1.0 dL/g) to achieve the desired sustained release profile. By adjusting polymer parameters such as molecular weight and composition ratios (e.g., PLGA 50:50, 75:25), the release rate is precisely controlled to maintain drug levels over 3 months or more while ensuring uniform microparticle formation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical mixing and emulsification methods with a microfluidic system that uses controlled fluid flow through microchannels. This substitution provides precise control over microparticle size (60-110 μm) and uniformity, achieving the required manufacturing precision for sustained release while maintaining ease of administration
3Productivity
If the oil-phase solution is injected at high flow rate to increase productivity, then production efficiency is improved, but particle size uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a microfluidic system with precisely controlled hydraulic flow rates through microchannels. The oil-phase solution flows at 50-200 μL/min and the aqueous phase at 2-10 mL/min, creating a stable flow ratio that ensures uniform microparticle formation. This hydraulic control system maintains both high productivity and narrow particle size distribution (CV ≤ 20%) simultaneously
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 method produces microparticles that maintain effective moxidectin concentration for three months or more, preventing heartworm infection sustainably while minimizing initial release and injection-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the biodegradable polymer has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.1 dl/g to 1 dl/g
Implementation Method 2
6) stirring the microparticles collected in step 5) to evaporate and remove the organic solvent from the microparticles
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to microparticles containing moxidectin and a method for preparing same. Unlike conventional drugs for preventing heartworm disease, which have a short half-life and require daily or monthly administration, when the microparticles containing moxidectin are administered, moxidectin is continuously released for 3 months or longer, and thus, a heartworm disease preventive effect can be maintained. In addition, by preparing microparticles having a constant average particle diameter and a narrow diameter distribution width, even when the microparticles are administered, the initial over-release of moxidectin is prevented, and the release of the drug is controlled so that a concentration of moxidectin effective for three months or longer can be kept constant, and when the microparticles are applied as an injection, foreign body sensation and pain can be reduced.