Liposomes as Active Ingredient Carriers in the Pharmaceutical Field

About Liposomes

Liposomes are ultramicrospherical closed vesicles formed by intermolecular self-assembly of lipids (such as phospholipids) dispersed in an aqueous phase, consisting of lipid bilayers (unilayer) and/or concentric multilayers (multilayers). The closed central water cavity wraps. Liposomes can be used as efficient, safe and bioavailable carriers of active ingredients due to their biomembrane properties.

Active Ingredient Carriers in the Pharmaceutical Field

Liposomes, as carriers of active ingredients of drugs, have the following characteristics

• Wide range of administration
• Various routes of administration
• High targeting ability
• Long-lasting action
• Good organizational compatibility
• Reducing drug toxicity
• Improving drug stability

As a result, it is widely used as a carrier for anti-tumor drugs, antibacterial drugs and bioactive molecules (proteins, polypeptides, nucleotides, etc.). Liposomes have developed for four generations as carriers of drug active ingredients to cope with higher demands for drug use and precise therapeutic purposes.

1. The first generation is the simplest liposome structure. The lipid bilayer consists of natural or synthetic phospholipids and cholesterol, and the most important function is to reduce drug toxicity and improve drug efficacy, such as liposomal adriamycin, liposomal amphotericin, and liposomal erythromycin.
2. The second-generation liposomes have undergone certain surface modifications, such as the incorporation of polyethylene glycol-phospholipid derivatives, which enable liposomal drugs to have a longer shelf life in the blood, such as polyethylene glycol-liposomal Adriamycin.
3. Third-generation liposomes focus on improving their active targeting, thereby significantly reducing drug toxicity and improving drug efficacy. Typically, polyethylene glycol modifications are introduced on the liposome surface followed by the introduction of targeting groups such as monoclonal antibodies, polysaccharides, peptides, and vitamins at the end of the polyethylene glycol.
4. The fourth-generation liposomes are designed to meet more diverse medication needs, with major enhancements to their smart features. Through modifications, liposomes are equipped with controlled slow-release, magnetic properties, targeting properties, pH sensitivity, or other controlled properties to effectively control the distribution and timing of drug action in the human body and significantly improve drug efficacy.

Fig. 1 Structural and design considerations for liposomal drug delivery. (Sezer, 2014)

About Us

At BOC Sciences, we develop and produce liposome products for scientific and technical applications.

We are able to design a variety of liposome products containing the most complex compounds. Our scientists can customize liposomes of any size and concentration in any volume to meet your different needs. We have the capability to conduct the entire proposal from liposome design to PK modeling.

Reference

1. Sezer; et al. Liposomes as Potential Drug Carrier Systems for Drug Delivery. Application of Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery. 2014, 10.5772/57028(Chapter 1).