Multivesicular Liposomes Synthesis Service

What are Multivesicular Liposomes?

When amphiphilic molecules such as phospholipids are dispersed in an aqueous medium, the hydrophilic head is exposed to the aqueous medium, while the hydrophobic tails are aggregated together to form closed vesicles with a bilayer structure, which are called liposomes. Ordinary liposomes are composed of single or multiple concentric lipid bilayers, which are divided into monolayers and multilayers, among which monolayers can be divided into small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) and large unilamellar vesicles (LUV). Liposomes containing multiple closed vesicles inside are called multivesicularsystems, which can be further divided into MultivesicularLiposomes (MVL) and Multivesicular Vesicles (MVV) according to their structural characteristics. Multivesicular liposomes are composed of non-concentric lipid bilayer vesicles tightly packed with larger liposomes encapsulating multiple smaller liposomes, and are also known as vesosome, multicompartmental liposomes (MCL), or double liposome (DL). The multicapsule system solves the problems of small encapsulation volume, low drug loading of water-soluble drugs and fast release of ordinary liposomes, opening a new chapter for the development and application of slow-release liposomes.

BOC Sciences' Multivesicular Liposomes Synthesis Service

As a liposome specialist, BOC Sciences offers an innovative and optimized production process based on the complex emulsion method for the production of high-quality multivesicular liposomes, with support for special customization. The interior of a multivesicular liposome consists of a honeycomb arrangement of vesicles, each with a phospholipid bilayer, which are tightly interlinked and stacked to form a vesicular structure that is often compared to a 'pomegranate-like' vesicle. The area where multiple vesicle chambers meet and accumulate is composed of neutral lipids, and the most common neutral lipids are triglycerides. Neutral lipids are critical to the stability of the multivesicular structure, forming a membrane between the multiple vesicle chambers, maintaining the internal shape of the chambers, and stabilizing the entire vesicle structure. BOC Sciences selects neutral lipids for your project, which stabilize the internal hydrophilic chambers, which comprise 95% of the vesicle structure volume, and are suitable for the encapsulation of aqueous drugs. The lipid-phospholipid bilayer of the lumen can be used to encapsulate lipid-soluble drugs.

Advantages of Our Multivesicular Liposomes in Drug Delivery

• Long-acting and Slow-release

BOC Sciences provides multivesicular liposome products with an average particle size of tens of micrometers, which is suitable for local injection drug delivery. The stable structure of multivesicular liposome has multiple vesicles, and the degradation time of each vesicle in the body is not consistent, the vesicle that is degraded first releases the drug first, and the vesicles that are intact release the drug slowly, prolonging the release time of the drug to achieve the effect of slow release. Our multivesicular liposomes have excellent slow-release effect, and can even realize the slow-release effect of up to several weeks.

• High Drug Loading Capacity

BOC Sciences offers multivesicular liposomes with micron-sized particles that contain a large number of lipid-encapsulated cavities, which can be used to encapsulate large amounts of water-soluble drugs. At the same time, the large number of vesicles provides a sufficient phospholipid layer, and the large surface area of the lipid layer can be used to encapsulate a large amount of fat-soluble drugs. Compared with ordinary single-compartment liposomes, multivesicular liposomes have large encapsulation volume, high drug loading capacity and low drug leakage rate. In addition to small molecule drugs, they can also encapsulate proteins and peptides, with a wide range of applications.

Production Process of Our Multicellular Liposomes

BOC Sciences' manufacturing process for multivesicular liposomes based on the complex emulsion method is suitable for development into a stable drug delivery platform. The specific production process is as follows:

(1) Colostrum: A variety of fat-soluble components are dissolved in an organic solvent, mixed with an aqueous medium, and the two phases are emulsified by mixing means such as ultrasound or shear to form a water-in-oil (W/O) type colostrum.

(2) Compound Emulsion: The colostrum is rapidly transferred to the isotonic external aqueous phase, and continues to be emulsified by vortexing or other mechanical mixing to form a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) compound emulsion, with the oily vesicles containing multiple aqueous chambers. At this time, the structure of the complex emulsion is extremely unstable, the energy of emulsification must be controlled to avoid the vesicle structure in the formation of complex emulsion at the same time the rupture.

(3) Remove Organic Solvents: Use vacuum or solvent evaporation to remove organic solvents in the compound emulsion. It is not recommended to use too much energy or mechanical force to remove the organic solvent to avoid the rupture of the complex emulsion.

(4) External Aqueous Phase Replacement (ultrafiltration): Use the common clinical solution (mostly 0.9% sodium chloride solution) as the filtration solution, and replace the external aqueous phase with tangential flow membrane pack filtration to remove the free drug and organic solvent.

(5) Content Concentration: The drug content is controlled and concentrated to the specified range according to the weight or volume to obtain the final multivesicular liposome.

Highlights of Our Multivesicular Liposome Preparation Services

• In respect of the preparation process, we adopt the compound emulsion method of preparation technology, where two emulsifications increase the process difficulty, and the control of process parameters is more stringent to avoid batch-to-batch variations of customized products as much as possible. The average particle size of multi-capsule liposome is tens of microns, it is destined to be unable to filter sterilization, and the special liposome dosage form also makes it impossible to terminal sterilization. We choose to strictly control the sterility of the entire production process, maintaining the highest demands on the production environment.
• In terms of product quality control, we also attach great importance to the way the drug is encapsulated and the particle size control is an important factor affecting its slow-release effect. When the drug is dissolved in the internal aqueous phase, the active ingredient is encapsulated in the hydrophilic lumen of the vesicle. When the drug is dissolved in the lipid phase, the active ingredient is encapsulated in the phospholipid bilayer of the vesicle, and there are differences in the slow-release effect depending on the drug encapsulation site. In addition, because of its structural characteristics, multivesicular liposomes are more fragile, but too large a particle size tends to sedimentation, we pay extra attention when mixing before use. Avoid excessive mechanical force will lead to vesicle rupture, affecting the efficacy.

BOC Sciences' Competitive Edge

• Distinguished Manufacturing Process: Our distinct manufacturing process sets us apart, ensuring that our multivesicular liposome are crafted with precision and efficiency. This unique approach not only enhances the quality of our offerings but also reflects our commitment to innovation in every aspect of production.
• Reproducibility Assurance: Ensuring the reproducibility of our polymeric liposome products is crucial for maintaining the high standards we have set for ourselves. We implement stringent quality control measures throughout the entire process, ensuring that each product is consistent, reliable, and aligns with the strict standards that define our brand.
• Verifiability Guarantee: We provide a comprehensive testing process and verification results, instilling confidence in our customers regarding the authenticity and performance of our products. From detailed specifications to independent testing, we prioritize transparency to establish trust with our clients.
• Shortened Turnaround Time: Our simplified processes and efficient workflows enable us to significantly reduce turnaround time without compromising quality. This ensures that our customers receive our polymeric liposome products promptly, facilitating faster decision-making.

Whether you need customized services for conventional liposomes or multivesicular liposomes, please feel free to contact us.