On Friday 23 September 2022 Mia Danielsen will defend her PhD thesis "Formulation and Characterization of Insulin Nanoclusters".
Time: 13:00
Place: Building 202, R1005
Please be aware that the PhD defense may be recorded - This will also be informed at the beginning of the PhD defense.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Andrew James Urquhart
Co-Supervisor: Professor Thomas L. Andresen
Assessment committee:
Associate Professor Jonas Henriksen, DTU Health Tech
Associate Professor Anan Yaghmur, University of Copenhagen
Professor Julie Champion, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Chairperson:
Professor Niels Bent Larsen
Abstract:
Biopharmaceuticals are an important class of therapeutics used in the treatment of a range of diseases. Their structures can complicate synthesis and formulation as well as drug administration. Most biopharmaceuticals are administered via injection due to rapid degradation in physiological fluid. Oral administration is the ultimate goal for delivery of biopharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, invasive formulations can be further developed to improve patient compliance and treatment of disease. In this project, nanoclusters (NCs) have been exploited as a novel formulation strategy. In NCs, the biopharmaceutical act as both the therapeutic and the vehicle to maximize drug loading, minimize the risk of side effects related to additives, and potentially improve the absorption and the therapeutic effect. Insulin NCs have been developed via a combination of crosslinking and desolvation. Crosslinking promoted controlled protein clustering but deteriorated the biological activity of insulin. However, the biological activity appeared to be improved by clustering of the crosslinked protein, likely due to an improved absorption and a slow release to prolong the duration of action. Accordingly, the NCs can deliver high doses of insulin in a safe and controlled manner to reduce the dosing volume and the dosing frequency. This is of great interest because of the growing number of diabetic patients including insulin-resistant patients.