Pulmonary delivery and formulation of biopharmaceuticals (i.e., biological molecules) are among the more complex and growing scientific topics in pharmaceutical formulation. This project aims to understand critical steps in the development of novel non-invasive formulations of biopharmaceuticals using lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for pulmonary delivery in the treatment of severe respiratory diseases. The cross-border collaboration between Biofilms – Research Center for Biointerfaces at Malmö University (MaU), Copenhagen University (KU), MAX IV and Truly Labs (Medicon Village, Lund) plan to understand how formulation parameters and phisico-chemical properties will impact the therapeutic efficacy using advanced in vitro 3D models.

The team consists of experts in pharmaceutical formulation design and biobarriers (MaU), an expert in lipid nanoparticles formulation and structural characterization (KU and MAX IV), and one industrial partner involved in preclinical studies (Truly labs). They plan to formulate lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for the loading of biologics Truly Labs (i.e., mRNA) and to develop simple (2D) and advanced (3D) ex-vivo models of lung to understand the interaction between LNP and the biological barrier. Thanks to small-angle X-ray Scattering (in-house SAXS and synchrotron-SAXS, Co-SAXS) we will elucidate the relationship between the structural properties of the LNP and their therapeutic efficacy observed in advanced 2D and 3D ex-vivo models.

For further information about this HALRIC pilot project, please contact:

Sabrina Valetti
Malmö University
sabrina.valetti@mau.se