{"title":"Development and optimization of Soluplus®/Pluronic-based polymeric micelles for bicalutamide delivery: characterization, lyophilization, stability, and cellular studies","authors":"Nihal Tugce Ozaksun , Tugce Tayyar , Aysun Ozdemir , Mustafa Ark , Tuba Incecayir","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polymeric micelles are promising nanocarriers for improving the solubility and therapeutic efficacy of poorly water-soluble drugs. In this study, bicalutamide (BIC)-loaded polymeric micelles were developed and optimized using central composite design (CCD) by varying two formulation factors: the Soluplus® percentage (%) and the Pluronic F127/Pluronic F68 ratio (w/w). The selected formulations exhibited favorable physicochemical properties with particle size (PS) below 100 nm, low polydispersity index (PDI) (≤ 0.066), and high encapsulation efficiencies (EE) (up to 90.6 %). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the spherical and monodisperse structure. The micelles exhibited near-neutral zeta potentials. Lyophilization with trehalose did not significantly alter particle size or uniformity<em>. In vitro</em> release studies demonstrated sustained drug release profiles for 72 h, and <em>in vitro</em> solubility measurements revealed a significant increase (∼161 to 335-fold) compared to free BIC. The formulations also remained colloidally stable upon dilution and were physically stable for up to 6 months at 4 °C, 25 °C/60 % Relative Humidity (RH), and 40 °C/75 % RH. Cellular uptake studies in the human prostate cancer (PC-3) cell line confirmed effective internalization of the micelles. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays demonstrated a concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity. F7 exhibited superior cytotoxicity among the tested formulations, compared to free BIC, while its blank formulation showed no significant toxicity, indicating favorable biocompatibility. These results suggest that the developed polymeric micelle systems have potential as stable and biocompatible delivery systems for BIC, warranting further investigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"217 ","pages":"Article 107395"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145700073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joona Sorjonen , Luis Martin de Juan , Pirjo Tajarobi , Håkan Wikström , Jarkko Ketolainen
{"title":"Early prediction of tablet defects during pan coating","authors":"Joona Sorjonen , Luis Martin de Juan , Pirjo Tajarobi , Håkan Wikström , Jarkko Ketolainen","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The appearance of a tablet is a critical quality attribute that can be directly evaluated by patients. During tablet manufacturing, mechanical stress may lead to visual defects, such as edge chipping, the prediction of which remains a major challenge, particularly during technology transfer or scale-up processes. This study aimed to evaluate whether the number and severity of defects could be predicted under two mechanical stress environments: pan coating and friabilator testing.</div><div>A breakage model was calibrated using drop tests with two placebo formulations: mannitol:microcrystalline cellulose (7:3) and microcrystalline cellulose:anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate (7:3), both at target tensile strengths of 1.5–2.5 MPa. Discrete element method (DEM) simulations were used to estimate the collision velocities and frequencies in the coating pan, enabling defect prediction using the breakage model. One verification run was performed using the mannitol:MCC 7:3 formulation at 2.0 MPa, which was also used to predict the tablet appearance in the friabilator.</div><div>The model accurately predicted the severity of defects (Classes I–III, where I is the least and III the most severe defect) in the coating trial but underestimated the number of Class I defects. The numerical predictions made by the model are exponentially affected by inaccuracies in the calibration of model parameters, particularly for small damage. Visual differences between tablets with equal mass loss in the friabilator and pan coater also suggest that wear from low-force collisions contributed to damage during the coating process. In contrast, the number of appearance defects was overpredicted in the friabilator, highlighting the model’s limitations in systems with frequent collisions. Overall, with careful calibration and under conditions with few defect-causing events, the model can provide useful guidance for defect prediction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"217 ","pages":"Article 107414"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145755167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of anti-drug antibodies against therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and related product in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their clinical impact","authors":"Hiroko Shibata , Kazuko Nishimura , Eri Tsukagoshi , Akiko Ishii-Watabe , Yoshiro Saito , Soichi Yamada , Shotaro Masuoka , Wataru Hirose , Shinichi Kawai , Toshihiro Nanki","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biopharmaceuticals are widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to their high therapeutic efficacy. However, these drugs may elicit immunogenicity and induce the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA), potentially impacting their efficacy and safety. Therefore, the detection and characterization of ADA in patient samples during clinical development is crucial. However, data regarding biopharmaceutical immunogenicity and associated clinical factors in Japanese patients with RA remain limited. Here, we measured ADA levels in the sera of Japanese patients with RA treated with biopharmaceuticals (infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, tocilizumab, and etanercept), investigated the clinical factors associated with ADA formation, and examined the effect of ADA on the pharmacological activity of each drug. Although the prevalence of ADA varied among biopharmaceuticals, no apparent neutralizing activity was observed. Among clinical factors, the use of concomitant methotrexate (MTX) influenced ADA prevalence in patients treated with adalimumab and the route of administration was a significant factor in patients treated with tocilizumab. Analyzing the relationship between ADA-positive/negative status and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) revealed that <em>HLA-DRB1</em>*<em>04:01</em> allele frequency tended to be higher in the anti-etanercept ADA-positive group. The free drug concentration tended to be lower in ADA-positive samples, suggesting that the presence of ADA may have pharmacokinetic implications. Although experimental evaluation of the impact of ADA on drug pharmacological activity in patient samples is typically complex, we developed a method to measure residual drug bioactivity using cell-based assays as an alternative to evaluating the neutralization activity of ADA, and demonstrated the utility of this approach to assess the clinical impact of ADA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107357"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145430636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roman Groß, Michael Uwe Hartig, Kai Berkenfeld, Alf Lamprecht
{"title":"A magnet-based capsule rotation tracking for assessing inhalation success in dry powder inhalers","authors":"Roman Groß, Michael Uwe Hartig, Kai Berkenfeld, Alf Lamprecht","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) provide important therapy options for the treatment of airway diseases. It is widely reported that the success of an inhalation maneuver depends not only on the properties of the formulation and the device, but also on the patients’ ability to apply the inhaler as intended. An insufficient duration of the inhalation maneuver or an insufficient inspiration force might lead to an unfavorable therapeutic outcome. To counteract this problem, the study demonstrates feasibility of a new feedback system for RS01-type DPI devices aiding to assess the quality of the inhalation maneuver. Capsules have been modified to hold a neodymium magnet permitting to induce electric currents into an adjacently placed coil when rotating. The voltage induced was recorded and profiles obtained were shown to contain information about the duration flow rate applied during the actuation. Number of capsule revolutions and the overall volume (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.9991), as well as the applied flow rate and the frequency for the Cyclocaps® formulation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.9893) were positively correlated when investigated under in vitro conditions using linear flow profiles. Through adequately characterizing a formulation with the new system and then linking the obtained fraction of the emitted mass with an aerodynamic diameter < 5 µm to the mentioned feedback variables, predictions can be made about the inhalation quality as well as the amount of respirable particles inhaled.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107379"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145530294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wilma Kiander , Hatam Rashidpour , Mikko Gynther , Kati-Sisko Vellonen , Mikko Neuvonen , Laura Vesalainen , Kristiina M. Huttunen , Mikko Niemi , Heidi Kidron
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Effects of nonsense genetic variants on OATP1B1 expression and transport activity in vitro” [European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 215 (2025) 107322]","authors":"Wilma Kiander , Hatam Rashidpour , Mikko Gynther , Kati-Sisko Vellonen , Mikko Neuvonen , Laura Vesalainen , Kristiina M. Huttunen , Mikko Niemi , Heidi Kidron","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107381","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107381"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145586519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tiago Sousa , Charlotte Yeung , Conor Beaupres De Monsales , Nannapat Sangfuang , Anders Borde , Bertil Abrahamsson , Abdul W. Basit
{"title":"Unexpected effects of antibiotics on microbiota-mediated drug metabolism in a fistulated dog model","authors":"Tiago Sousa , Charlotte Yeung , Conor Beaupres De Monsales , Nannapat Sangfuang , Anders Borde , Bertil Abrahamsson , Abdul W. Basit","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The human gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the metabolism of drugs, with various bacterial species catalysing the biotransformation of pharmaceutical compounds. <em>In vitro</em> microbiota models, typically derived from faecal material, have been employed to study this phenomenon. However, they often do not fully capture the complex and dynamic environment of the living colon. This study aimed to evaluate whether <em>in vitro</em> models accurately reflect <em>in vivo</em> microbiota-drug interactions by comparing both approaches within the same individual animal via a fistulated dog model, with the fistula located in the ascending colon. We investigated the metabolism of metronidazole and sulindac, two structurally and pharmacologically distinct drugs, before and after broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment. Prior to antibiotics, <em>in vitro</em> biotransformation in faecal material was observed for both drugs: metronidazole (t₁/₂ = 22.9 ± 1.2 min) and sulindac (t₁/₂ = 104.2 ± 1.0 min). Following antibiotic treatment, no measurable degradation occurred <em>in vitro</em>. However, in the fistulated dog model plasma concentrations decreased following antibiotic treatment compared to pre-treatment levels, indicating a lack of correlation between microbiota metabolism observed <em>in vitro</em> and systemic drug levels <em>in vivo</em>. These findings underscore the complexity of microbiota-host-drug interactions and provide important insights for the development of translational microbiome–pharmacology models. Additionally, the drawbacks over the use of antibiotic-treated animal models to study microbiota-drug interactions are discussed due to antibiotic-induced changes in intestinal permeability and efflux that may influence drug absorption and metabolism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107360"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145444417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessia Favaron , Nannapat Sangfuang , Laura E. McCoubrey , Atheer Awad , Jonas Ghyselinck , Massimo Marzorati , Lynn Verstrepen , Julie De Munck , Jelle De Medts , Abdul W. Basit , Mine Orlu
{"title":"Assessing the effects of tofacitinib on the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease","authors":"Alessia Favaron , Nannapat Sangfuang , Laura E. McCoubrey , Atheer Awad , Jonas Ghyselinck , Massimo Marzorati , Lynn Verstrepen , Julie De Munck , Jelle De Medts , Abdul W. Basit , Mine Orlu","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gut microbiota dysbiosis and impaired epithelial barrier function play a key role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Tofacitinib citrate, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for IBD, modulates immune responses via the JAK-STAT (Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription) pathway, yet its effects on the gut microbiome remain unclear. Here, we employed the short-term colon model (ProDigest, BE) containing human microbiota from three Crohn’s Disease donors to assess fermentative and metabolic activities and microbial composition following 48 h of tofacitinib treatment. A Caco-2/THP1 co-culture system was used to assess the impact of tofacitinib on epithelial immunomodulation and barrier integrity. Tofacitinib did not significantly affect microbiota composition and fermentative or metabolic activity. However, it consistently reduced pro-inflammatory chemokines motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in specific donors, indicating targeted immunomodulatory effects. These findings suggest that while tofacitinib may have a minimal impact on microbiota function, it may exert anti-inflammatory effects via microbiota-derived metabolites. The short-term colon model represents a robust platform for investigating microbiome-drug interactions relevant to IBD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107365"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145476864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Vancomycin release kinetics for treatment of bone tissue infection: design of a loaded scaffold and evaluation of a dynamic model","authors":"Antoine Recorda , Cynthia Abane , Emeline Renaudie , Patricia Pascaud-Mathieu , Arnaud Beaumont , Karine Giry , Sylvie Delebassée , Amandine Magnaudeix , Betty Laverdet , Chantal Damia","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of local drug delivery systems (DDS) has emerged as a promising strategy for targeted therapeutic applications, enabling high drug concentrations at specific sites while minimizing systemic toxicity. However, the evaluation of drug release kinetics remains challenging due to the limitations of current <em>in vitro</em> models, which often fail to replicate physiological conditions. To address this issue, dynamic models, such as flow perfusion bioreactors, offer a more realistic approach to studying DDS, particularly in cases where prolonged drug release is required, such as the prevention of surgical site infections (SSI) in bone grafts. In this study, a macroporous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold was designed through robocasting, an additive manufacturing technique, to obtain a bone substitute with a controlled macroporous architecture. HA was chosen for its chemical similarity to the mineral phase of bone, its non-biodegradability, and its ability to support antibiotic loading and release. Vancomycin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly used against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, was incorporated into a thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel to regulate its release kinetics. The loaded scaffolds were evaluated using a perfusion bioreactor to model the bone microenvironment. The antibiotic release profile was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and an iterative algorithm. The objective is to establish a proof of concept and demonstrate the relevance of a dynamic, animal-free model for studying the kinetics of local antibiotic release. The results showed that the combination of a macroporous HA scaffold and a chitosan hydrogel enabled sustained antibiotic release over time. Furthermore, <em>in vitro</em> antibacterial assays confirmed the efficacy of the released vancomycin against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. This study highlights the potential of using perfusion bioreactors and additive manufacturing techniques to develop physiologically relevant DDS models, ultimately contributing to the refinement of antibiotic delivery strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107391"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145654047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tanaya Singh Bhadoriya , Soumalya Chakraborty , Amit Pariskar , Arvind K. Bansal
{"title":"Excipient variability critically impacts crystallization propensity of spray-dried amorphous solid dispersions","authors":"Tanaya Singh Bhadoriya , Soumalya Chakraborty , Amit Pariskar , Arvind K. Bansal","doi":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polymeric amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) are frequently used to improve solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. The goal of the current investigation was to correlate the variability in the presence of polymeric stabilizer, from different sources and batches, with the stability of the spray-dried ASDs. Polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate (PVPVA) and griseofulvin (GSV) were selected as model stabilizer and drug, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) confirmed the amorphous form and phase homogeneity of the spray-dried ASDs. pXRD and modulated DSC were used to determine the functionality (% crystallization) and intermediate functionality (enthalpy relaxation) of PVPVA, respectively, in spray-dried ASDs. The variability in different physicochemical properties of PVPVA, viz. glass transition temperature, viscosity of PVPVA solution in acetone, K-value, residue on ignition, true density, increase in water activity after storage, surface free energy, solvent evaporation kinetics, and diffusion coefficient of GSV in acetone in presence of PVPVA, were measured. Later, these properties were correlated with functionality and intermediate functionality using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Strong correlation (<em>r</em> ≥ 0.6) was observed with solvent evaporation kinetics, diffusion coefficient of GSV in acetone, in presence of PVPVA (indicates interaction of drug with polymer in feed solution of spray drying), K-value (indicates polymer molecular weight and chain length), and increase in water activity after storage (indicates interaction of polymer with water). Functionality-related characteristics (FRCs), and their corresponding functionality-related tests (FRTs), that can affect the functionality of PVPVA, as a stabilizer in GSV-PVPVA spray-dried ASD have been proposed. The learnings of this study will be beneficial to ensure robust performance of spray-dried ASDs containing other poorly soluble drug(s) and water soluble polymer(s). Due attention should be paid to ensure compliance to the proposed FRCs of the stabilizer from different batches and sources, during the manufacturing of spray-dried ASD, to ensure consistent quality and performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12018,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107294"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145191383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}