Polysaccharide Spray Drying Integrity Yield

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing dried polysaccharides for vaccines are complex, costly, and prone to polysaccharide degradation due to the use of high temperatures and solvent volumes in spray drying processes, which requires stabilizing agents and results in variable yields.

Innovation Solution

A process involving spray drying of isolated polysaccharides without the need for protecting agents or precipitation steps, achieving high yields of substantially intact polysaccharides by optimizing the spray drying conditions and using filtration steps to ensure purity and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If spray drying is used to dry polysaccharides, then drying efficiency is improved, but polysaccharide integrity deteriorates due to high temperature damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidpolysaccharide integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the drying parameters by using lower inlet temperatures (80-150°C) and higher outlet temperatures (40-80°C) compared to conventional spray drying, along with optimized residence time and droplet size distribution, to maintain polysaccharide integrity while achieving efficient drying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies stabilizing agents such as sugars, polyols, or proteins to the polysaccharide solution before spray drying to protect the polysaccharide structure from thermal damage during the drying process, cushioning the harmful effects of heat

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional multi-step process with precipitation is used, then polysaccharide purification is achieved, but process complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolysaccharide purificationVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines the purification and drying steps into a single integrated spray drying process, where the polysaccharide solution is directly sprayed and dried without intermediate precipitation, filtration, or washing steps, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining purification quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the essential drying function from the complex multi-step conventional process, eliminating unnecessary intermediate steps such as precipitation with organic solvents, multiple washing steps, and extended drying periods, retaining only the critical spray drying step

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Speed

If spray drying with heated air is used, then drying speed is improved, but polysaccharide degradation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying speedVSAvoidpolysaccharide degradation
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses dynamic control of drying conditions including variable inlet temperature, controlled air flow rate, and optimized chamber pressure to maintain high drying speed while preventing polysaccharide degradation through real-time adaptation of process parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces stabilizing agents as intermediary substances that mediate between the heated air and polysaccharide molecules, absorbing thermal stress and preventing direct thermal damage to the polysaccharide structure while allowing efficient heat transfer for drying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 process achieves high yield and maintains the integrity of polysaccharides, reducing the need for stabilizing agents and solvent usage, while meeting desired specification parameters for vaccine production.

Implementation Method 1

spray drying a liquid composition comprising the isolated polysaccharide

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS12018134B2Processes for preparing dried polysaccharides
Publication Date: 2024.06.25 GLAXOSMITHKLINE BIOLOGICALS SA

AI summary

There is provided inter alia a process for drying an isolated polysaccharide comprising the step of spray drying a liquid composition comprising the isolated polysaccharide.