Electrospinner: A new dry powder inhalation vaccine based on "microspheres" is here

Definition of microspheres

Microspheres are tiny spherical polymers with a particle size ranging from a few microns to hundreds of microns, which are encapsulated with one or more drugs using polymer biomaterials. Drug molecules are dispersed or adsorbed in polymer carriers

Application advantages of microspheres

Microsphere preparations have the advantages of gradually releasing drugs after microsphere degradation after administration, avoiding peak and valley phenomena in blood drug concentration, reducing toxic side effects, reducing the dosage of treatment cycles, and improving the bioavailability of drugs and patient compliance

Microsphere preparation methods

Common microsphere preparation methods include emulsification-solvent evaporation, phase separation, spray drying, hot melt extrusion, etc. With the development of nanotechnology, electrostatic spraying technology has also been used to prepare biodegradable polymer core-shell microspheres or microcapsules, protect drug stability, and provide a multi-stage drug delivery system

Relationship between electrospinning technology and microsphere preparations

Drug carrier preparation: Electrospinning technology can be used to prepare drug-loaded microspheres, directly encapsulating drugs in polymer nanofibers to form a core-shell structure. This structure can improve the encapsulation rate of drugs, control the drug release rate, and reduce the initial burst release of drugs

Drug release control: By adjusting the parameters in the electrospinning process, such as voltage, flow rate, collection distance, etc., fibers of different fineness can be prepared to achieve the purpose of controlled release. Thicker fibers can extend the release path of internal drugs and achieve the purpose of sustained release to improve patient comfort; thinner fibers can increase the release rate, terminal release and bioavailability of drugs

Surface modification of microsphere preparations: Electrospinning technology can be used to form a polymer coating on the surface of microspheres. This coating can be a polymer with specific functions to improve the performance of microspheres, such as improving stability and controlling degradation rate.