This project utilised a novel solvent-free continuous cocrystallisation (SFCC) method to manufacture pharmaceutical co-crystals. The objectives were to optimize the process towards achieving high co-crystal yields and to understand the behaviour of co-crystals under different conditions. Particular attention was paid to the development of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a process analytical technology (PAT). Twin screw, hot melt extrusion was the base technique of the SFCC process. Changing parameters such as temperature, screw speed and screw geometry was important for improving the co-crystal yield. The level of mixing and shear was directly influenced by the screw geometry, whilst the screw speed was an important parameter for controlling the residence time of the material during hot melt extrusion. Ibuprofen – nicotinamide 1:1 cocrystals and carbamazepine – nicotinamide 1:1 co-crystals were successfully manufactured using the SFCC method. Characterisation techniques were important for this project, and NIR spectroscopy proved to be a convenient, accurate analytical technique for identifying the formation of co-crystals along the extruder barrel. Separate thermal and model shear deformation studies were also carried out to determine the effect of temperature and shear on co-crystal formation for several different pharmaceutical co-crystal pairs. Finally, NIR spectroscopy was used to create two partial least squares regression models, for predicting the 1:1 co-crystal yield of ibuprofen – nicotinamide and carbamazepine – nicotinamide, when in a powder mixture with the respective pure API. It is believed that the prediction models created in this project can be used to facilitate future in-line PAT studies of pharmaceutical co-crystals during different manufacturing processes. / Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

The objective of this study was to develop a new method for co-crystal preparation which adhered to green chemistry principles, and provided advantages over conventional methods. A novel, solvent-free, high-power ultrasound (US) technique, for preparing co-crystals from binary systems, was chosen as the technology which could fulfil these aims. The application of this technology for solid state co-crystal preparation was explored for ibuprofen-nicotinamide (IBU-NIC), carbamazepine-nicotinamide (CBZ-NIC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) co-crystals. The effect of different additives and processing parameters such as power level, temperature and sonication time on co-crystallisation was investigated. Characterisation was carried out using DSC, PXRD, FTIR, Raman and HPLC. In addition, an NIR prediction model was developed and combined with multivariate analysis (PLS) and chemometric pre-treatments. It was found to be a robust, reliable and rapid method for the determination of co-crystal purity for the IBU-NIC and CBZ-NIC pairs. Co-crystal quantification of US samples helped to optimise the US method. Finally, a model formulation of paracetamol containing 5% and 10% PEG 8000 was ultrasonicated at maximum power with different exposure times. A comparison of technological and physicochemical properties of the resulting tablets with those of the tablets obtained using the pressing method evidenced significant differences. This suggested that US energy dissipation (mechanical and thermal effects) was the main mechanism which caused the PAR form I tabletability to improve. It was found that the ultrasound–compacted tablets released the drug at a slower rate compared to pure PAR. This technique was shown to be useful for improving tabletability for low-compressible drugs without the need to use a conventional tabletting machine.

The objective of this study was to develop a new method for co-crystal preparation which adhered to green chemistry principles, and provided advantages over conventional methods. A novel, solvent-free, high-power ultrasound (US) technique, for preparing co-crystals from binary systems, was chosen as the technology which could fulfil these aims. The application of this technology for solid state co-crystal preparation was explored for ibuprofen-nicotinamide (IBU-NIC), carbamazepine-nicotinamide (CBZ-NIC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) co-crystals. The effect of different additives and processing parameters such as power level, temperature and sonication time on co-crystallisation was investigated. Characterisation was carried out using DSC, PXRD, FTIR, Raman and HPLC. In addition, an NIR prediction model was developed and combined with multivariate analysis (PLS) and chemometric pre-treatments. It was found to be a robust, reliable and rapid method for the determination of co-crystal purity for the IBU-NIC and CBZ-NIC pairs. Co-crystal quantification of US samples helped to optimise the US method. Finally, a model formulation of paracetamol containing 5% and 10% PEG 8000 was ultrasonicated at maximum power with different exposure times. A comparison of technological and physicochemical properties of the resulting tablets with those of the tablets obtained using the pressing method evidenced significant differences. This suggested that US energy dissipation (mechanical and thermal effects) was the main mechanism which caused the PAR form I tabletability to improve. It was found that the ultrasound–compacted tablets released the drug at a slower rate compared to pure PAR. This technique was shown to be useful for improving tabletability for low-compressible drugs without the need to use a conventional tabletting machine.

Ce travail a consisté à étudier la N et/ou O acylation enzymatique d’alcool aminés et de dipeptides.Une étude préliminaire consacrée à l’acylation enzymatique d’une molécule modèle, le 6-amino-1-hexanol a démontré la capacité de la lipase B de Candida antarctica immobilisée à catalyser l’acylation de ce substrat dans différents milieux réactionnels. La mise en œuvre de cette réaction en solvants organiques (hexane, 2-méthyl-2-butanol) a conduit à la formation du produit diacylé avec un rendement de 85 % montrant l’absence de chimio-sélectivité de la réaction. L’utilisation de système sans solvant à base d’acide gras libre et de CO2 supercritique a permis d’orienter la chimio-sélectivité de la réaction en faveur de la O-acylation. Les liquides ioniques à cation de type imidazolium et à anions faiblement nucléophiles ont conduit à un taux de conversion de l’alcool aminé de l’ordre de 99 % tout en conservant l’absence de chimio-sélectivité observée en solvant organique. L’étude s’est ensuite focalisée sur l’acylation de dipeptides modèles tels que la Lys-Ser,HCl et la Ser-Leu. L’étude de l’acylation catalysée par la lipase B de Candida antarctica immobilisée de la Lys-Ser,HCl a montré une sélectivité exclusive en faveur de l’acylation de la fonction amine en position e, indépendamment du milieu réactionnel. La O-acylation de la Ser-Leu a permis de mettre en évidence l’influence du groupe carboxylique Cterminal électro-attracteur de Lys-Ser sur la réactivité de la fonction hydroxyle de la sérine. Enfin, la N-acylation enzymatique d’un dipeptide naturel bioactif, la carnosine a été réalisée d’une part en solvant organique, catalysée par la lipase B de Candida antarctica immobilisée et d’autre part, en milieu aqueux biphasique catalysée par l’acyl-transférase de Candida parapsilosis. L’acylation de la carnosine, conduisant à la synthèse de N-oléyl carnosine, n’affecte pas son activité inhibitrice de la xanthine oxydase et semble améliorer son activité anti-radicalaire vis-à-vis de l’anion superoxyde / The present work consisted in studying the N and/or O-enzymatic acylation of amino alcohols and dipeptides. A preliminary study was firstly undertaken about the enzymatic acylation of a bifunctionnal model molecule, 6-amino-1-hexanol and demonstrated the ability of the lipase B of Candida antarctica to catalyze the acylation of this substrate in different reaction media. The reaction performed in organic solvents (hexane, 2-methyl-2-butanol) allowed to the synthesis of the diacylated product with a substrate conversion yield of 85 %, showing the absence of chimio-selectivity of the reaction. The use of a solvent-free system constituted of free fatty acid and the use of supercritical carbon dioxide permitted to orientate the selectivity of the reaction in favour of the O-acylation. Ionic liquids with imidazolium cation and few nucleophilic anions led to a substrate conversion of 99 % and to maintain the absence of chemo-selectivity observed in organic solvents. Then, the study focused on the acylation of model dipeptides like Lys-Ser, HCl and Ser-Leu. Results relative to the acylation of Lys-Ser, HCl catalyzed by the lipase B of Candida antarctica immobilized showed a selectivity in favour of the acylation of the e-amino function independently of the reaction medium. The Ser-Leu O-acylation permitted to demonstrate the influence of the molecular environment (electro-attractor C terminal carboxylic group) on the reactivity of the serine hydroxyl function. Finally, the enzymatic acylation of a bioactive dipeptide was catalyzed by the lipase B of Candida antarctica immobilized in organic solvent and by the acyl-transferase of Candida parapsilosis in lipid-aqueous biphasic medium. The acylation of carnosine allowed the N-oleyl carnosine synthesis. The acylation of carnosine did not affect its xanthine oxydase inhibition activity and seemed to improve its superoxyde anion scavenging property

<p>Degradable polymers have gained an increased attention in the field of biomedical applications over the past decades, for example in tissue engineering. One way of improving the biocompatibility of these polymers is by chemical surface modification, however the risk of degradation during the modification procedure is a limiting factor. In some biomedical applications, for example in nerve guides, a patterned surface is desired to improve the cell attachment and proliferation.</p><p>In this thesis a new non-destructive, single-step, and solvent free method for surface modification of degradable polymers is described. Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) substrates have been functionalized with one of the following vinyl monomers; N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP), acrylamide (AAm), or maleic anhydride (MAH) grafts. The substrates were subjected to a vapor phase atmosphere constituted of a mixture of a vinyl monomer and a photoinitiator (benzophenone) in a closed chamber at very low pressure and under UV irradiation. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) have been surface modified with VP using the same procedure to show the versatility of the method. The wettability of all of the four substrates increased after grafting. The surface compositions were confirmed by ATR-FTIR and XPS. The VP grafted PLLA, PTMC and PLGA substrates have been shown to be good substrates for the normal human cells i.e. keratinocytes and fibroblasts, to adhere and proliferate on. The topography of substrates with well defined nano patterns was preserved during grafting, since the grafted layer is very thin. We have also shown that the method is useful for a simultaneous chemical and topographical modification of substrates by masked vapor phase grafting. The surface topography was determined with SEM and AFM.</p> / <p>Intresset för användningen av nedbrytbara polymerer till biomedicinska applikationer som till exempel vävnads rekonstruktion har ökat avsevärt de senaste decennierna. Ett sätt att öka biokompatibiliteten hos dessa polymerer är genom kemisk ytmodifiering, men risken för nedbrytning under själva modifieringen är en begränsande faktor. I vissa biomedicinska applikationer, till exempel nervguider, är det önskvärt att ha en väldefinierad ytstruktur för att öka vidhäftningen och tillväxten av celler.</p><p>I den här avhandlingen presenteras en ny ickeförstörande, lösningsmedelsfri enstegsprocess för ytmodifiering av nedbrytbara polymerer. Substrat av poly(L-laktid) (PLLA) har ytfunktionaliserats med var och en av följande vinylmonomerer, N-vinylpyrrolidon (VP), akrylamid (AAm) eller maleinsyraanhydrid (MAH). Substraten har exponerats för en gasfasatmosfär av en blandning av en vinylmonomer och en fotoinitiator (bensofenon) i en tillsluten reaktor vid mycket lågt tryck och under UV-strålning. Metodens mångsidighet har även påvisats genom att ytmodifiera substrat av poly(ε-kaprolakton) (PCL), poly(laktid-co-glykolid) (PLGA) och poly(trimetylen karbonat) (PTMC) med VP. Vätbarheten ökade för alla fyra materialen efter ympning med en vinylmonomer. Ytsammansättningen fastställdes med ATR-FTIR och XPS. De VP ympade filmerna av PLLA, PLGA och PTMC visade sig vara bra substrat för mänskliga celler, i detta fall keratinocyter och fibroblaster, att vidhäfta och växa på. Yttopografin hos filmer med väldefinierade nanomönstrade ytor kunde bevaras efter ympning, tack vare att det ympade lagret är så tunt. Gasfas metoden har också visat sig användbar för att simultant ytmodifiera både kemiskt och topografiskt genom maskad gasfasympning. Yttopografin bestämdes med SEM och AFM.</p>

No description available.

Degradable polymers have gained an increased attention in the field of biomedical applications over the past decades, for example in tissue engineering. One way of improving the biocompatibility of these polymers is by chemical surface modification, however the risk of degradation during the modification procedure is a limiting factor. In some biomedical applications, for example in nerve guides, a patterned surface is desired to improve the cell attachment and proliferation. In this thesis a new non-destructive, single-step, and solvent free method for surface modification of degradable polymers is described. Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) substrates have been functionalized with one of the following vinyl monomers; N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP), acrylamide (AAm), or maleic anhydride (MAH) grafts. The substrates were subjected to a vapor phase atmosphere constituted of a mixture of a vinyl monomer and a photoinitiator (benzophenone) in a closed chamber at very low pressure and under UV irradiation. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) have been surface modified with VP using the same procedure to show the versatility of the method. The wettability of all of the four substrates increased after grafting. The surface compositions were confirmed by ATR-FTIR and XPS. The VP grafted PLLA, PTMC and PLGA substrates have been shown to be good substrates for the normal human cells i.e. keratinocytes and fibroblasts, to adhere and proliferate on. The topography of substrates with well defined nano patterns was preserved during grafting, since the grafted layer is very thin. We have also shown that the method is useful for a simultaneous chemical and topographical modification of substrates by masked vapor phase grafting. The surface topography was determined with SEM and AFM. / Intresset för användningen av nedbrytbara polymerer till biomedicinska applikationer som till exempel vävnads rekonstruktion har ökat avsevärt de senaste decennierna. Ett sätt att öka biokompatibiliteten hos dessa polymerer är genom kemisk ytmodifiering, men risken för nedbrytning under själva modifieringen är en begränsande faktor. I vissa biomedicinska applikationer, till exempel nervguider, är det önskvärt att ha en väldefinierad ytstruktur för att öka vidhäftningen och tillväxten av celler. I den här avhandlingen presenteras en ny ickeförstörande, lösningsmedelsfri enstegsprocess för ytmodifiering av nedbrytbara polymerer. Substrat av poly(L-laktid) (PLLA) har ytfunktionaliserats med var och en av följande vinylmonomerer, N-vinylpyrrolidon (VP), akrylamid (AAm) eller maleinsyraanhydrid (MAH). Substraten har exponerats för en gasfasatmosfär av en blandning av en vinylmonomer och en fotoinitiator (bensofenon) i en tillsluten reaktor vid mycket lågt tryck och under UV-strålning. Metodens mångsidighet har även påvisats genom att ytmodifiera substrat av poly(ε-kaprolakton) (PCL), poly(laktid-co-glykolid) (PLGA) och poly(trimetylen karbonat) (PTMC) med VP. Vätbarheten ökade för alla fyra materialen efter ympning med en vinylmonomer. Ytsammansättningen fastställdes med ATR-FTIR och XPS. De VP ympade filmerna av PLLA, PLGA och PTMC visade sig vara bra substrat för mänskliga celler, i detta fall keratinocyter och fibroblaster, att vidhäfta och växa på. Yttopografin hos filmer med väldefinierade nanomönstrade ytor kunde bevaras efter ympning, tack vare att det ympade lagret är så tunt. Gasfas metoden har också visat sig användbar för att simultant ytmodifiera både kemiskt och topografiskt genom maskad gasfasympning. Yttopografin bestämdes med SEM och AFM. / QC 20101014