A Library of Polyphenol-Amino Acid Condensates for High-Throughput Continuous Flow Production of Nanomedicines with Ultra-High Drug Loading

Zeng Yi (Co-first Author), Xiaomin Ma (Co-first Author), Qiulan Tong, Lei Ma, Yunfei Tan, Danni Liu, Chaoliang Tan*, Junze Chen*, Xudong Li*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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Abstract

Synthesizing high drug-loading nanomedicines remains a formidable challenge, and achieving universally applicable, continuous, large-scale engineered production of such nanomedicines presents even greater difficulties. This study presents a scalable library of polyphenol-amino acid condensates. By selecting amino acids, the library enables precise customization of key properties, such as carrier capacity, bioactivity, and other critical attributes, offering a versatile range of options for various application scenarios. Leveraging the properties of solvent-mediated disassembly and reassembly of condensates achieved an ultra-high drug loading of 86% for paclitaxel. For a range of poorly soluble molecules, the drug loading capacity exceeded 50%, indicating broad applicability. Furthermore, employing a continuous microfluidic device, the production rate can reach 5 mL min−1 (36 g per day), with the nanoparticle size precisely tunable and a polydispersity index (PDI) below 0.2. The polyphenol-based carrier demonstrates efficient cellular uptake and, in three distinct animal models, has been shown to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of paclitaxel without significant side effects. This study presents a streamlined, efficient, and scalable approach using microfluidics to produce nanomedicines with ultra-high drug loading, offering a promising strategy for the nanoformulation of poorly soluble drugs. © 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Original languageEnglish
Article number2417534
JournalAdvanced Materials
Volume37
Issue number15
Online published3 Feb 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Apr 2025

Funding

Z.Y. and X.M. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2024NSFSC1657 and 2024NSFSC1521). Postdoctor Research Fund of West China Hospital, Sichuan University (2023HXBH013). The 1.3.5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (ZYJC21036). National Natural Science Foundation of China (82102214). C.T. thanks the funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China – Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) (52122002), the Start-Up Grant (Project No. 9610710) from the City University of Hong Kong and ITC via Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM).

Research Keywords

  • insoluble drug
  • microfluidics
  • nanomedicines
  • polyphenol
  • ultrahigh drug loading

Publisher's Copyright Statement

  • This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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