Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.9
4.9
Journals
Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Advanced Polymeric Materials as Therapeutic Agents
share announcement

Advanced Polymeric Materials as Therapeutic Agents

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Technology, Manufacturing and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 3339

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anderson R. L. Caires

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Optics and Photonics Group, Physics Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Brazil
Interests: optical spectroscopy; biological systems; biomaterial; phototherapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. William Facchinatto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, CICECO/UA, St. Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: biobased polymers; nanomaterials; cellulose; biomedical application
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Regiane Godoy de Lima

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Optics and Photonics Group, Institute of Physics, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Interests: nanoparticles; cellulose; photodynamic therapy; naturals products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to participate in a new Special Issue entitled “Advanced Polymeric Materials as Therapeutic Agents.” This Special Issue aims to showcase the latest breakthroughs in the realm of polymer-based therapeutic applications, an area that has witnessed remarkable growth and innovation in recent years.

Polymeric materials, whether derived from natural sources or synthetically engineered, have become indispensable in various medical domains, including imaging, diagnosis, and drug delivery. Their versatility enables the development of tailored solutions that enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse systemic effects. As such, the exploration of polymer-based therapies presents unprecedented opportunities regarding the advancement of medical science. This Special Issue seeks to delve into subjects that align closely with the journal’s overarching themes. We welcome the submission of original research articles and reviews that delve into the multifaceted landscape of polymer-based therapeutics. While submissions may encompass a wide range of topics, the scope of this Special Issue includes the following:

  • Emerging trends and advancements in nanoparticle synthesis, elucidating novel techniques and materials that hold promise for future therapeutic applications.
  • Critical analyses of current challenges and future directions in photodiagnostics, elucidating the complexities and opportunities associated with harnessing light-based technologies for medical imaging and diagnosis.
  • The application of innovative methodologies and technologies in nanocarriers, exploring cutting-edge approaches to the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents with precision and efficacy.

Your insightful contributions will undoubtedly enrich this Special Issue and contribute to the collective advancement of knowledge in the field of polymer-based therapeutics. We eagerly anticipate the submission of your research, which promises to further our understanding and exploration of the transformative potential of polymeric materials in the realm of therapeutic interventions.

Prof. Dr. Anderson R. L. Caires
Dr. William Facchinatto
Dr. Regiane Godoy de Lima
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomaterial
  • biopolymers
  • photodynamic inactivation
  • nanotechnology
  • drug delivery
  • polymer–drug conjugates
  • spectroscopic characterization
  • theragnostic
  • tissue engineering

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 4043 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Solubility of Co-Formulated Hydrophobic Drugs by Incorporating Functionalized Nano-Structured Poly Lactic-co-glycolic Acid (nfPLGA) During Co-Precipitation
by Mohammad Saiful Islam and Somenath Mitra
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(1), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17010077 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 748
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The co-formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is a growing strategy in biopharmaceutical development, particularly when it comes to improving solubility and bioavailability. This study explores a co-precipitation method to prepare co-formulated crystals of griseofulvin (GF) and dexamethasone (DXM), utilizing nanostructured, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The co-formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is a growing strategy in biopharmaceutical development, particularly when it comes to improving solubility and bioavailability. This study explores a co-precipitation method to prepare co-formulated crystals of griseofulvin (GF) and dexamethasone (DXM), utilizing nanostructured, functionalized polylactic glycolic acid (nfPLGA) as a solubility enhancer. Methods: An antisolvent precipitation technique was employed to incorporate nfPLGA at a 3% concentration into the co-formulated GF and DXM, referred to as DXM-GF-nfPLGA. The dissolution performance of this formulation was compared to that of the pure drugs and the co-precipitated DXM-GF without nfPLGA. Results: Several characterization techniques, including electron microscopy (SEM), RAMAN, FTIR, TGA, and XRD, were used to analyze the nfPLGA incorporation and the co-precipitated co-formulations. The inclusion of nfPLGA significantly enhanced the dissolution and initial dissolution rate of both GF and DXM in the DXM-GF-nfPLGA formulation, achieving a maximum dissolution of 100%, which was not attained by the pure drugs or the DXM-GF formulation. The incorporation of nfPLGA also reduced the amount of time taken to reach 50% (T50) and 80% (T80) dissolution. T50 values decreased from 52 and 82 min (for pure DXM and GF) to 23 min for DXM-GF-nfPLGA, and the T80 improved to 50 min for DXM-GF-nfPLGA, significantly outpacing the pure compounds. Furthermore, incorporating nfPLGA into the crystal structures greatly accelerated the dissolution rates, with initial rates reaching 650.92 µg/min for DXM-GF-nfPLGA compared to 540.60 µg/min for DXM-GF, while pure GF and DXM showed lower rates. Conclusions: This work demonstrates that nfPLGA incorporation enhances dissolution performance by forming water channels within the API crystal via hydrogen-bonding interactions. This innovative nfPLGA incorporation method holds promise for developing hydrophobic co-formulations with faster solubility and dissolution rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials as Therapeutic Agents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4388 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Thiolated Nanoparticles Based on Poly (Acrylic Acid) and Algal Cell Wall Biopolymers for the Delivery of the Receptor Binding Domain from SARS-CoV-2
by Ileana García-Silva, Susan Farfán-Castro, Sergio Rosales-Mendoza and Gabriela Palestino
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(7), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16070891 - 2 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1537
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic required great efforts to develop efficient vaccines in a short period of time. However, innovative vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus are needed to achieve broad immune protection against variants of concern. Polymeric-based particles can lead to innovative vaccines, serving as stable, [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic required great efforts to develop efficient vaccines in a short period of time. However, innovative vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus are needed to achieve broad immune protection against variants of concern. Polymeric-based particles can lead to innovative vaccines, serving as stable, safe and immunostimulatory antigen delivery systems. In this work, polymeric-based particles called thiolated PAA/Schizo were developed. Poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) was thiolated with cysteine ethyl ester and crosslinked with a Schizochytrium sp. cell wall fraction under an inverse emulsion approach. Particles showed a hydrodynamic diameter of 313 ± 38 nm and negative Zeta potential. FT-IR spectra indicated the presence of coconut oil in thiolated PAA/Schizo particles, which, along with the microalgae, could contribute to their biocompatibility and bioactive properties. TGA analysis suggested strong interactions between the thiolated PAA/Schizo components. In vitro assessment revealed that thiolated particles have a higher mucoadhesiveness when compared with non-thiolated particles. Cell-based assays revealed that thiolated particles are not cytotoxic and, importantly, increase TNF-α secretion in murine dendritic cells. Moreover, immunization assays revealed that thiolated PAA/Schizo particles induced a humoral response with a more balanced IgG2a/IgG1 ratio. Therefore, thiolated PAA/Schizo particles are deemed a promising delivery system whose evaluation in vaccine prototypes is guaranteed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials as Therapeutic Agents)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop