Chitin-based Drug-Delivery Vehicle Development Service

Chitin-based Drug-Delivery Vehicle Development Service at CD BioGlyco

Chitin is a polysaccharide composed of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomer and glycosidic bonds. This structural polymer is widely found in the shells of marine crustaceans and the cell walls of various organisms such as coralline algae and green algae. Chitin is one of the most abundant elements in the marine environment, CD BioGlyco provides large-scale Marine Carbohydrate Production Service. Chitin is non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and degraded by enzymes, which is applied in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and other fields. Based on the properties of chitin, we provide chitin-based drug-delivery vehicle development and Tissue Engineering Development services. We provide flexible Drug Delivery Vehicle Development and comprehensive characterization services. The types of vehicles developed include but are not limited to the following forms.

• Chitin nanoparticles: We use acid or enzymatic methods to prepare natural chitin materials into nanoparticles, and further perform surface modification and functionalization. Nanoparticles have a small particle size, a large specific surface area, and good biocompatibility, we achieve drug encapsulation and controlled release by regulating particle size and surface modification.
• Chitin fibers: We extract chitin using chemical or biological methods and prepare chitin fiber vehicle structures, such as fiber membranes or spun fibers, through electrospinning, wet spinning, drying, and other technologies. It has a highly tunable pore structure that is used to control the delivery of targeted drugs.
• Chitin hydrogels: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is biodegradable, biocompatible, and hydrophilic, which has a wide range of applications in the field of hydrogels. We mix PVA with suspended chitin in a weakly acidic medium, obtain a three-dimensional network structure through physical cross-linking, and synthesize a hydrogel for drug delivery. It has high water retention and a tunable pore structure, making it suitable for applications such as topical drug delivery and wound repair.
• Chitin micelles: We dissolve chitin in a suitable solvent, such as an acidic or alkaline solution, so that it swells and forms chitin micelles. The drug is then added to the chitin solution and mixed thoroughly to promote the stability and solidification of the chitin micelles by adjusting the pH value of the solution or adding a cross-linking agent. Commonly used cross-linking agents include ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), etc. Finally, the solidified chitin micelles are further processed through steps such as washing, centrifugation, and freeze-drying to obtain the final drug delivery vehicle.
• Chitin nanocrystals: We dissolve chitin in a suitable solvent, convert it into a chitin nanocrystal suspension through mechanical cutting or sonication, and use the nanoscale particle structure of chitin to encapsulate the drug. The formation of nanocrystals is then promoted by adjusting the pH value of the suspension or adding cross-linking agents.
• Chitin microspheres: We use a variety of methods to prepare chitin microspheres, such as emulsion, homogenization, suspension, freeze-drying, spray drying, and electrostatic droplet methods. Chitin microspheres have a smaller particle size range, and the internal pore structure provides a larger surface area to accommodate more drugs and facilitate drug release.

Fig.1 Chitin-based drug-delivery vehicle development service. (CD BioGlyco)

Publication

Technology: Physical cross-linking method

Journal: Marine Drugs

IF: 6.085

Published: 2019

Results: The authors extracted a naturally occurring chitin scaffold from Ianthella fllabelliformis and investigated its suitability as a potential drug delivery matrix. The three-dimensional chitin scaffold had a characteristic tubular nanopore structure (Figure B), the authors used decamethoxine as a model drug (Figure A), which underwent absorption and diffusion in the solution and passed through the membranous wall of the chitin fiber, and were dried and fixed inside the chitin matrix (Figure C), becoming a potential drug delivery matrix. The results showed that this three-dimensional chitin scaffold effectively inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in an agar diffusion test.

Fig.2 Three-dimensional chitin scaffold. (Kovalchuk, et al., 2019)

Applications

• Controlled-release drug delivery: The controlled-release properties of chitin nanoparticles are used to achieve delayed release of drugs, so that the drugs may continue to effectively act on target tissues or organs.
• Targeted tumor research: Anti-cancer drugs are encapsulated in chitin nanoparticles and will be delivered to tumor cells through targeting, improving the efficacy of the drug and reducing toxicity to normal tissues.
• Bone tissue engineering: Chitin acts as a vehicle to deliver osteogenesis-promoting factors, promotes bone cell proliferation and bone matrix deposition, and is used for bone tissue repair and regeneration.

Advantages

• We design personalized vehicle development solutions suitable for specific applications according to the nature of the drug, the characteristics of the target tissue or organ, and the desired delivery method.
• We have established a complete quality management system to ensure that the drug delivery vehicles we provide meet high-quality standards and stably encapsulate and release drugs.
• We develop targeted delivery systems to accurately deliver drugs to specific tissues or cells, ensuring good compatibility and stability by adjusting the interaction between vehicles and drugs.

CD BioGlyco has technical expertise in the field of chitin drug delivery. We understand the properties, drug encapsulation, and release mechanisms of chitin, and apply them to design and develop efficient chitin-based drug delivery vehicles. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to consult detailed development details.