Designed, Sealed, and Delivered

Courtesy Photo | NISVs comprise a hydrophilic outer layer and a hydrophobic core making them ideal for encapsulating a wide range of therapeutic compounds, including anticancer agents, antibiotics, antivirals, and more. (JSTO image)  

FT. BELVOIR, VA, UNITED STATES

03.05.2024

Courtesy Story

Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Chemical and Biological Technologies Department

Drug formulation and route of administration are key factors for therapeutic effectiveness and require as much, if not more, consideration as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. For a therapeutic to be highly effective, it must be able to quickly reach the site of infection to deliver agents that either act directly on the pathogen or act on processes that help to rapidly mount host defenses, and this is greatly influenced by drug formulation and administration.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Chemical and Biological Technologies Department in its role as the Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO) for Chemical and Biological Defense, an integral component of the Chemical and Biological Defense Program, invested with scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom, to harness the potential of non-ionic surfactant vesicles (NISVs) to transform the field of drug delivery. NISVs, also known as niosomes, are distinct from other lipid-based particles; instead, they are formed from synthetic, non-ionic surfactants, comprising a hydrophilic outer layer and hydrophobic core. These amphiphilic molecules can entrap both hydrophilic and lipophilic molecules, making them ideal for encapsulating a wide range of therapeutic compounds, including anticancer agents, antibiotics, antivirals, and more.

Priority biological threat agents and the diseases they cause bring unique challenges to the development of effective therapeutics and treatment plans. For instance, alphaviruses (a genus of RNA viruses that cause encephalitis) localize to the brain, which makes them inaccessible to most therapeutics that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, rendering potentially powerful therapeutics ineffective.

Similar challenges occur in attempts to treat other biothreats when trying to deliver drugs across the gut to reach other specific body sites. It can be difficult to facilitate the movement of some therapeutics across gut tissue resulting in inabilities to reach the site of infection and ineffective treatments. In austere environments, where biothreat scenarios often occur, the route of administration is critical to address the threat insult adequately and quickly. Without access to proper medical equipment, intravenous administration of drugs is unfeasible and, as a result, oral administration is preferred.

NISVs improve upon the concept of conventional liposomes by enhancing stability, biocompatibility, and drug-release duration, while reducing toxicity. The surface of these tiny spherical structures can be easily modified to enhance their targeting ability, enabling drugs to be delivered directly to specific cells or tissues. These features allow NISVs to bypass physiological barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier, which have previously stifled therapeutic development progress. Additionally, this technology ensures encapsulated drugs reach their target sites intact and protected from premature release, which minimizes systemic side effects, and optimizes therapeutic outcomes.

NISVs hold immense promise to transform the definition of an effective therapeutic. With broadened possibilities for more targeted and efficient drug administration, promising drug candidates that have hit experimental roadblocks due to low bioavailability or tolerability may have a second chance. The versatility of NISVs demonstrates a broad range of applicability beyond traditional pharmaceuticals, with immense potential for usefulness in other areas like gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases.

The path forward for NISV development marks a significant milestone in drug delivery. Work is underway to continue optimizing this promising technology to exploit its full potential via enhancing stability, refining drug release profiles, and improving targeting efficiency. As scientists continue to unravel the entire suite of their capabilities, the application of niosomes in the field of medicine is expected to expand rapidly. With the promise of enhanced therapeutic outcomes, reduced side effects, and improved patient care, NISVs represent a groundbreaking advancement in the pursuit of more effective and targeted drug delivery systems to better protect the Joint Force, our nation, and our allies.

POC: Michael Johnson, [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 03.05.2024
• Date Posted: 03.05.2024 13:29
• Story ID: 465389
• Location: FT. BELVOIR, VA, US