Lipid Nanoparticle Production

CD Bioparticles provides custom services for Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) formulation design and drug encapsulation. Together with advanced preparation technologies for various liposomes, scientists in CD Bioparticles are proficient in producing LNPs for various types of drug loading, especially for nucleic acid drug (eg siRNA, miRNA, mRNA and plasmid DNA, et al.). We can provide the service of formulation design depending on the application, drug encapsulation, physical and chemical properties, in vitro and in vivo characterization according to customer's project needs.

Introduction to Lipid Nanoparticle

LNPs is a special cationic liposome, which is composed of ionizable lipids (such as DOTMA, MC3)  helper lipids (such as phospholipids), cholesterol, and/or PEGylated lipids^[1], as shown in Figure 1. The use of ionizable lipid resulted in the high encapsulation efficiency of nucleic acids because of the electrostatic interactions. However, the changeable charge depending on the pH of the environment gives the LNPs irreplaceable excellent performance.

Figure 1.Schematic representation of mRNA lipid nanoparticles^[2]

The specific features of LNP include:

• Positive charge at acidic pH, which enables higher RNA encapsulation and is easy for cell fusion to release the RNA into the cytosol;
• Neutral at physiological pH, which prevents rapid removal of the lipid formulation from the blood and improve the tolerability and pharmacokinetic properties^[3,4].
• Extended half-life in circulation (more than 30 min) and decreased cellular toxicity.

The applications of LNPs include^[5-6]:

• Drug and Vaccine Delivery, such as the FDA approved Patisiran and Tozinameran, Elasomeran vaccines, for virus infection or cancer;
• Medical imaging, especially for tumor tissue;
• Cosmetics, for the uses such as wound healing, sunburn relief, hair conditioners, antiaging products, and long-lasting perfumes;
• Nutrition, for the delivery of functional components such as proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and flavors;
• ...

Our Lipid Nanoparticle Featured Services

LNPs formulation design: we customize LNPs design based on our clients' demand by varying lipid structure (both commercialized and early developed), lipid compositions, vesicle sizes, surface charges, etc.

LNPs encapsulation: we employ customized protocols to encapsulate drug molecules into LNPs by several different methods with high encapsulation efficiency.

LNPs-drug complex analysis: we can offer comprehensive analysis of LNPs before and after encapsulation, which includes visual appearance, size distribution, stability, zeta potential, lamellarity, entrapment efficiency, and release rate.

LNPs-drug biological activity characterization: we can control and analysis the cell uptake efficiency and the cytotoxicity by the lipid structure, charge ratio,etc.

Quotations and Ordering

References

1. Basmah N A, Iman M A, and Alanood S A. Lipid Nanoparticles as Delivery Systems for RNA-Based Vaccines [J], Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 206.
2. Verbeke R, Lentacker I, De Smedt S C, et al. Three decades of messenger RNA vaccine development [J]. Nano Today 2019, 28, 100766.
3. Samaridou E, Heyes J, Lutwyche P. Lipid nanoparticles for nucleic acid delivery: Current perspectives [J]. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2020.
4. Granot Y, Peer D. Delivering the right message: Challenges and opportunities in lipid nanoparticles-mediated modified mRNA therapeutics-An innate immune system standpoint [J]. Seminars in Immunology, 2017, 34, 68-77.
5. Whitehead K A, Langer R, Anderson D G. Knocking down barriers: Advances in siRNA delivery [J]. Nature Review Drug Discovery, 2009, 8, 129-138.
6. Rumiana T, Robert B, Allison E C, and Qiongqiong Z. Lipid Nanoparticles From Liposomes to mRNA Vaccine Delivery, a Landscape of Research Diversity and Advancement [J], ACS Nano, 2021, 15, 11, 16982-17015.