Pharmaceutical Technology. Coordinator: Passerini

Drug delivery systems

Research themes

1. Formulation design and particle-engineering technology for microparticles production

Since two decades we have focused our attention on the spray-congealing technique as a means to produce solvent-free microparticles. The spray-congealed microparticulate drug delivery systems are suitable mainly for oral, but also for mucosal and topical administration routes. We have designed innovative drug delivery systems containing small molecules, biopharmaceutical products, herbal drugs and nutraceuticals to optimize their biovailability according to their specific therapeutical needs.

2. Development of pediatric formulations

The oral route is the predominant way of administration of medicines in children (2-6 years old). However the majority of oral dosage forms is designed for adult patients without considering aspects (dosing flexibility, taste, texture, color, smell, size, swallowing) important for pediatric population. We have been developed granules, mini-tablets and microparticles specifically design to overcome the aforementioned challenge. Since 2015 we are working on formulation strategies to potentially maximize the clinical efficacy of praziquantel and melatonin administered to pediatric population.

3. Development and optimization of technological processes for manufacturing of solid dosage forms

We optimize manufacturing processes such as wet granulation, compaction and film coating, widely used in pharmaceutical industry. The processes are carried out using lab scale equipments: fluidized-bed granulators (Mini-Glatt), high shear mixer, single-punch tablet press, pan coaters.

4. Development of snail slime based polymeric films

Innovative films are obtained by solvent casting of a solution containing snail slime in appropriate concentrations mixed with natural or semi-synthetic polymer solutions. Transparent films suitable for various applications, such as cosmetic, drug delivery, or wound healing are produced: the films can be applied to the skin (both patch and non-patch), mucous membranes, or wounds and may either rapidly dissolve or adhere for an extended period, promoting the release of active substances.

5. Application of NaDES as green innovative vehicles for oral drug administration

A recent research topic focuses on the development of new green vehicles for drug delivery purposes, such as Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NaDES), eutectic mixtures formed from substances found in nature. NaDES are evaluated as vehicles for the formulation of active ingredients characterized by low bioavailability.

An important part of our research involves the solid state characterization (thermal analysis, FT-IR, XRD, SEM) of the obtained drug delivery systems to correlate their physicochemical properties to the in vitro release of drugs.

The research is carried out in collaboration with national and international research groups or with industrial partners.

Lab Members

Nadia Passerini, Full Professor (e-mail)

Beatrice Albertini, Associate Professor (e-mail)

Serena Bertoni, Scholarship holder

Stefano Sangiorgi, PhD Student

Internship projects

Internship projects are mainly addressed to CTF students.

Main publications

• Albertini, B., Bertoni, S., Sangiorgi, S., Nucci, G., Passerini, N., Mezzina E. (2023) NaDES as a green technological approach for the solubility improvement of BCS class II APIs: An insight into the molecular interactions, J. of Pharm., 634, 122696.
• Bertoni, S.; Albertini, B.; Ferraro, L.; Beggiato, S.; Dalpiaz, A.; Passerini, N. (2019). Exploring the use of spray congealing to produce solid dispersions with enhanced indomethacin bioavailability: In vitro characterization and in vivo study. J. Pharm. Biopharm., 139, 132-141.
• Albertini, B., Perissutti, B. Bertoni, S., Zanolla, D., Franceschinis, E., Voinovich, D., Lombardo, F., Keiser, J., Passerini, N. (2019). Combining mechanochemistry and spray congealing for new praziquantel pediatric formulations in schistosomiasis treatment, J. Mol. Sci., 20 (5), Article number 1233.
• Bertoni, S., Albertini, B., Dolci, L.S., Passerini, N. (2018). Spray congealed lipid microparticles for the local delivery of β-galactosidase to the small intestine. J. Pharm. Biopharm., 132, 1-10.
• Albertini, B., Bertoni, S., Melegari, C., Dolci, L.S., Passerini, N. (2017). A novel approach for dry powder coating of pellets with Ethylcellulose. Part I: Evaluation of film formulation and process set up. J. Pharm. 516 (1-2), 380-391.