Insulin formulation and delivery Flashcards
- What are biomacromolecules/biologics
Biomacromolecules used as drugs – rather than small molecules
- What are the differences between small molecule and therapeutic proteins
Small molecule:
Molecule weight - <500g/M
Chemical nature – carbon chain – organic
Complexity – low homogenous
Delivery – site of action
Therapeutic protein
Molecule weight - >100g/M
Chemical nature – hydrophilic polypeptide – organic
Complexity – high single protein moderate heterogeneity
Delivery – site of action
- What are examples of small molecules and biologicals
Small molecule – aspirin
- Biologicals – monoclonal antibody and flu vaccine
- What are the 4 categories of biologicals And examples (?)
- Gene therapy – nucleic acid ( Gendicine )
- Protein and peptides – polypeptide (Insulin, Growth hormone, Clotting/blood factors)
- Monoclonal antibodies – polypeptide (Herceptin (Trastuzumab), MabThera (Rituximab), Remicade (Infliximab))
- Vaccine – mixture of lipids, polypeptides, nucleic acids ( Influenza vaccine, BCG tuberculosis vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine)
- What are the challenges for all biologicals
- Complexity of biologics higher than typical drugs
- Instability of biomacromolecules inherent due to biological origin
- Availability often limited by large molecular size
- Immunogenicity immune response to drug (hypersensitivity) can lead to loss of efficacy and more serious adverse effects
- Why is the complexity of biologics often higher than typical small molecule drugs
- Molecular complexity
- Functional complexity
- Complex composition
- More to go wrong- more expensive to manufacture
- Why are biologics typically so unstable?
- Instability of biomacromolecules inherent due to biological origin
- Conditions must be compatible with biological molecules
- BUT this means they are good food for microbes – or at least in a good environment
- Also, many reactions of biological molecules are thermodynamically favourable in these conditions
- Finally, almost all Biologics contain proteins- and proteins are relatively unstable
- What is more unstable
- Protein
- What is the mechanism of protein instability?
1) Proteins have three-four layers of vital structure
2) Basic polypeptide chain is susceptible to a range of degrading reactions with water and oxygen
3) Many changes are irreversible
- What is the importance of protein structure
- Denatured proteins – won’t work, often irreversible
- Delivery of biologics – availability often limited by large molecular size
how does it access
Permeability through epithelia
- Access to tissues from blood vessels
- Cell membranes *although drug target usually noy within cells
- What are the common problems of delivery of biologics
- Common problem- oral delivery unsuitable
- Different route for each class/example
- Route typically used is dictated by the characteristics of each class
- How is biomacromolecules delivered usually?
- In common
- Biomacromolecules won’t pass through epithelia or membranes
- Digested by gastric and intestinal components
- Oral biomacromolecules = food!
- Typically can’t use oral delivery => “PARENTERAL”
- What are the formulation and delivery areas of protein/insulin?
Formulation and delivery areas:
- Protein sequence (& source)
- Physical state of protein (phase, crystallinity)
- Subcutaneous delivery devices
- Alternative routes of administration
- What are the 2 main classes of therapeutic proteins
a. Proteins and peptides - Closest replacement of endogenous proteins
b. Monoclonal antibodies - Ability to bind any antigen target Range of effects- blocking, binding, activating, killing
- Production of pharmaceutical protein – methods
Production of pharmaceutical proteins
1: Biotechnology
* Protein examples: insulin, erythropoietin, monoclonal antibodies, cytokines and interferons
* Produced in microbial or animal cell cultures and isolated via chromatographic and filtration steps
2: Isolate from blood (or animal tissue)
* Protein examples: albumin and blood clotting factors
* Protein isolation focused on reduction of viral contamination
- What are the problems of biotechnology and isolating from blood to produce protein?
Bio tech
Problems:
Produce in microbes: non-mammalian protein
Produce in animal cells: high cost
Isolate
Problems:
Purify from animals- non-human sequence
Purify from humans- viral infection, BSE prion infection