Quant Nanoparticle Production via Microfluidic Self-Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods are inadequate for effectively delivering poorly soluble drugs and drug combinations, as they often require high doses and result in poor absorption and bioavailability, leading to increased development costs and patient burden, with limited solutions available for improving solubility and targeting therapeutic molecules to specific cells.
Innovation Solution
A system for producing nanoparticles that includes component molecules, such as drugs, surrounded by interface molecules forming a hydrophilic shell, allowing for targeted delivery to specific cells, with the ability to combine different molecules to achieve complex therapeutic actions, using a microfluidic partitioning system to create uniform, stable, and functional drug particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If poorly soluble drugs are administered using traditional methods, then the drugs can be delivered to patients, but the bioavailability and absorption are poor, requiring high doses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining poorly soluble drug molecules with soluble carrier molecules to form hybrid nanoparticle structures. These composite particles integrate the therapeutic function of the drug with the solubility properties of the carrier, enabling efficient delivery of hydrophobic drugs without requiring high doses while maintaining reliable bioavailability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the drug delivery system by transforming insoluble drugs into soluble nanoparticle formulations. This involves modifying the solubility parameter through self-assembly processes where drug molecules organize into nanoscale structures with controlled surface properties, enabling systemic circulation and cellular uptake without requiring high dosages
2Reliability
If excipients are used to improve solubility of insoluble drugs, then bioavailability improves, but serious negative side effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses soluble carrier molecules as intermediaries that mediate between the insoluble drug and the aqueous biological environment. These carrier molecules self-assemble with the drug to form stable nanoparticles that can circulate in blood and be taken up by cells, providing the needed solubility enhancement without introducing harmful excipients
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-service principles through self-assembly processes where the drug and carrier molecules spontaneously organize into nanoparticle structures without requiring external stabilizers or excipients. The system self-regulates its formation and stability through molecular interactions, eliminating the need for harmful adjuvants while maintaining bioavailability
3Quantity of substance
If high doses of poorly soluble drugs are administered, then therapeutic plasma concentrations can be reached, but patient burden increases due to frequent administration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves continuous useful action by creating stable nanoparticle formulations that maintain constant drug release profiles. The self-assembled structures provide sustained delivery of the therapeutic agent, maintaining effective plasma concentrations over extended periods and reducing the frequency of administrations needed to achieve therapeutic effects
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
This approach enables the efficient and cost-effective delivery of poorly soluble drugs and combinations, improving bioavailability and targeting, potentially reducing the need for high doses and enhancing therapeutic efficacy by creating uniform, functional nanoparticles that can act as composite assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of interface molecules wherein each of the interface molecules has a hydrophilic portion, wherein the plurality of interface molecules are self-arranged having the hydrophilic portions aligned in a shape at least partially surrounding the one or more component molecules
Implementation Method 2
a base station superstructure comprising a first fluid inlet for receiving a first fluid, a second fluid inlet for receiving a second fluid, an indexer configured to receive the first and second fluids and generate a coaxial flow along a longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 3
an extruder connected with the indexer so as to receive the coaxial flow, wherein the extruder includes at least one microfluidic channel configured receive the coaxial flow and to allow the core flow to form droplets within the sheath flow
Implementation Method 4
leaching the solvent system from the uniform microdroplets into the surrounding aqueous sheath fluid at a rate so that the solutes remain entrapped in a collection of shrinking partitions
Implementation Method 5
leaching the solvent system from the uniform microdroplets into the surrounding aqueous sheath fluid
Implementation Method 6
flowing the hydrophobic reagent fluid within a sheath of an aqueous fluid to create a laminar coaxial flow in a microfluidic channel, wherein the hydrophobic reagent fluid is divided into uniform partitions
Data Source
AI summary
Engineered nanoscale multicomponent particles are introduced and are called “quants.” Methods and apparatuses for producing such multicomponent nanoparticles are provided. A single quant can be manufactured to contain a variety of different internal component molecules. Likewise, a plurality of such quants may be manufactured wherein the plurality of quants are suspended in an aqueous solution. Typically, quants are produced in quantity and concentration adequate to support human scale therapeutics. In some embodiments, millions or billions of quants are suspended in a volume of aqueous solution for delivery to a patient. When manufactured to the same specification, the plurality of quants are uniform in size, uniform in chemical composition, and therefore uniform in functionality. Functional uniformity is an important aspect of quants, manifested in design and production. By controlling the variables of manufacture, such as particle size and composition, and by redefining a drug dose as the measured number of quants delivered (as opposed to measuring a drug dose by the mass of its active ingredient), the performance of these nanoparticle-based drugs introduce significant efficiencies and much higher value products to the expanding therapeutics market.