Patent Review of Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy in The Last Decade

Background: The application of nanotechnology has been considered a powerful platform in improving the current situation in drug delivery and cancer therapy, especially in targeting the desired site of action. Objective: The main objective of the patent review is to survey and review patents from the past ten years that are related to the two particular areas of nanomedicines. Methods: The patents related to the nanoparticle-based inventions utilized in drug delivery and cancer treatment from 2010 onwards were browsed in databases like USPTO, WIPO, Google Patents, and Free Patents Online. After conducting numerous screening processes, a total of 40 patents were included in the patent analysis. Results: Amongst the selected patents, an overview of various types of nanoparticles are presented in this paper, including polymeric, metallic, silica, lipid-based nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, and albumin-based nanomedicines. Conclusion: Nanomedicines advantages include improvements in terms of drug delivery, bioavailability, solubility, penetration, and stability of drugs. It is concluded that the utilization of nanoparticles in medicines is essential in the pursuit of better clinical practice.

A Patent Review on the Use of L-asparaginase in the Treatment of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

: L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amino hydrolase, E.C.3.5.1.1) is the most important chemotherapeutic drug used in treating Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), decreasing blood asparagine rates causing apoptosis in tumor cells. However, pharmacological drugs cause several side effects difficulting treatments. Thus, searches for new sources of L-asparaginase or enzyme modifications focus on discovering new products to use in therapy.This article reviewed published patents from 2000 up to the first semester of 2020 related to the treatment of ALL using L-asparaginase. Many organisms have been shown as potential viable L-asparaginase producers for use in the treatment of ALL. However, this patent review shows that few of these organisms are gaining attention to becoming bioproducts for the market. It is expected that drugs in the testing phase and patents related to the treatment of ALL and other cancers will become real products. Besides, a treatment using an amino acid depletion approach, now referring to asparagine, altogether with a compound that directly interferes with the expression of the asparagine synthase gene, is more suitable for the treatment of ALL and possibly to other cancers.

An Overview of Recent Patents and Patented Technology Platforms based on Co-processed Excipients

Background: There is no single-component excipient that fulfils all the requisite performance to allow an active pharmaceutical ingredient to be formulated into a specific dosage form. Co-processing is a novel concept that incorporates combination of two or more excipients which is advantageous and cannot be achieved using a physical admixture. Objective: This review provides an overview of co-processed excipients, recent patents granted and filed in this field and the commercial patented technology platforms based on these excipients. Methods: Various online patent databases were used for collecting the information on recent patents and patented co processed excipient technologies. The recent patents such as single-step co-processing by dry coating, novel co-processed excipients for oily drugs and novel silica-coated compositions have been discussed. Results: Co-processed excipients are evolving as a current and future trend of excipient technology in pharmaceutical manufacturing which is evident by increasing number of patents based on these excipients. Among various techniques, the maximum number of patents is based on spray drying technique. Conclusion: In this work, the authors have focussed on recent patents and commercial technologies on co-processed excipient. A better understanding of this will help researchers and pharmaceutical industries to select the appropriate platform, or to develop new innovative co-processed excipients with improved tableting characteristics.

Techniques of Mucilage and Gum Modification and their Effect on Hydrophilicity and Drug Release

Aim: The manuscript aims to describe the techniques of modification of gums and mucilages and their effect on hydrophilicity and drug release. Discussion: The interest is increased in the fields of polymers which is obtained from natural origin and used in the preparation of pharmaceuticals. Mucilage and gum are natural materials, widely used in the preparation of novel dosage form and conventional dosage form. They are used in the pharmaceutical industry for various purposes like suspending, emulsifying, bio-adhesive, binding, matrix-forming, extended release and controlled release agent. Gum and mucilage are biodegradable, less toxic, cheap and easily available. Moreover, mucilage and gum can be changed to acquire tailored materials for the delivery of drugs and allow them to compete with commercially available synthetic products. These polysaccharides have unique swellability in an aqueous medium that can exert a retardant effect on drug release or act as a super disintegrant, depending on the concentration utilized in the preparation. Drug release mechanism from hydrophilic matrices consisting of gums and mucilages is based on solvent penetration-induced polymer relaxation, diffusion of entrapped drug followed by degradation or erosion of the matrix. Conclusion: The present manuscript highlight the advantages, modifications of gum and mucilage, their effects on hydrophilicity and drug release as well as aspects of the natural gums which can be assumed to be bifunctional excipient because of their concentration-dependent effect on drug release and their high degree of swellability.

Novel Nanolipoidal Systems for the Management of Skin Cancer

: Skin cancer, among the various kinds of cancers, is a type that emerges from skin due to the growth of abnormal cells. These cells are capable of spreading and invading the other parts of the body. The occurrence of non-melanoma and melanoma, which are the major types of skin cancers, has increased over the past decades. Exposure to ultraviolet radiations (UV) is the main associative cause of skin cancer. UV exposure can inactivate tumor suppressor genes while activating various oncogenes. The conventional techniques like surgical removal, chemotherapy and radiation therapy lack the potential for targeting cancer cells and harm the normal cells. However, the novel therapeutics show promising improvements in the effectiveness of treatment, survival rates and better quality of life for patients. Different methodologies are involved in the skin cancer therapeutics for delivering the active ingredients to the target sites. Nano carriers are very efficient as they have the ability to improve the stability of drugs and further enhance their penetration into the tumor cells. The recent developments and research in nanotechnology have entitled several targeting and therapeutic agents to be incorporated into nanoparticles for an enhancive treatment of skin cancer. To protect the research works in the field of nanolipoidal systems various patents have been introduced. Some of the patents acknowledge responsive liposomes for specific targeting, nanocarriers for the delivery or co-delivery of chemotherapeutics, nucleic acids as well as photosensitizers. Further recent patents on the novel delivery systems have also been included here.

A Review on Recent Technologies and Patents on Silica Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis

Background: Cancer is a condition in which some cells in the body grow uncontrollably and can also spread in other parts of the body. Among males, oral and lung cancers account for 25 % cancer deaths, while in females, breast and oral cancers cause 25% death. Breast and cervical cancers are the underlying cause of the high mortality rate among women. Owing to limitations of conventional cancer therapy like low drug specificity, less solubility, multidrug resistance, poor access to tumor cells and low bioavailability development of environmentally sensitive and target specific nanocarriers are imperative. Objective: The objective of this study is to review advancements made in techniques to synthesize Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (MSN’s) as well as strategies to functionalize its silanol group for site-specific drug release in the tumor environment and to review recent patents published regarding it. To describe rationale for selection of MSN’s for cancer theranostics amidst other nanocarriers developed. Methods: In the first section of this review, the physical and chemical properties of MSNs making it an ideal delivery system for cancer therapy and diagnostics are discussed. In the next section, various techniques involved in synthesizing and loading MSNs, including the influence of basic components of MSNs and reaction conditions on its properties are reviewed. Then the wide application of MSNs and various exogenous and endogenous stimuli harnessed for site-specific delivery of cargo and recent patents on modifying environmental conditions for large scale synthesis of MSNs and its active targeting for cancer treatment and bioimaging are discussed. Results: Physico-chemical properties and synthetic protocols of MSNs justifying them to be a promising nanovector to overcome the ill effects of traditional chemotherapy. The superlative attributes of MSNs including, tunable size, morphology, high load volume, stability, ease of modifying external and internal surface leverage applications in various dimensions of therapeutics, diagnostics, and combinatorial drug delivery. MSNs surface functionalization can be harnessed for passive and active targeting by either coating the surface with polymers or attaching various ligands. Conclusion: An ideal nano-carrier must have high loading efficiency, easily detectable, and must have stimuli's sensitive, site-specific drug release. The patent study explores new dimensions on MSNs synthesis by claiming new cost-effective templates and silica source, a more safe environment for synthesis, reducing synthesis steps, duration of reaction, effective loading of low solubility drugs by magnetized nanocarriers, pathogen-specific release and development of novel photoluminescent rechargeable MSNs under mild conditions. It’s a challenging task for researchers to successfully translate their prototypes to industries and make it feasible for commercialization. We can further work on excellent targeting concepts and architecture of MSNs for the increased opportunity in cancer theranostics.