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Preparation of Monodisperse Biodegradable Polymer Microparticles Using a Microfluidic Flow‐Focusing Device for Controlled Drug Delivery
Author(s) -
Xu Qiaobing,
Hashimoto Michinao,
Dang Tram T.,
Hoare Todd,
Kohane Daniel S.,
Whitesides George M.,
Langer Robert,
Anderson Daniel G.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.200801855
Subject(s) - dispersity , microfluidics , drug delivery , materials science , nanotechnology , polymer , drug carrier , biodegradable polymer , controlled release , flow focusing , emulsion , microparticle , dosage form , chemical engineering , chromatography , chemistry , polymer chemistry , composite material , engineering
Degradable microparticles have broad utility as vehicles for drug delivery and form the basis of several therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Conventional emulsion‐based methods of manufacturing produce particles with a wide range of diameters (and thus kinetics of release) in each batch. This paper describes the fabrication of monodisperse, drug‐loaded microparticles from biodegradable polymers using the microfluidic flow‐focusing (FF) devices and the drug‐delivery properties of those particles. Particles are engineered with defined sizes, ranging from 10 µm to 50 µm. These particles are nearly monodisperse (polydispersity index = 3.9%). A model amphiphilic drug (bupivacaine) is incorporated within the biodegradable matrix of the particles. Kinetic analysis shows that the release of the drug from these monodisperse particles is slower than that from conventional methods of the same average size but a broader distribution of sizes and, most importantly, exhibit a significantly lower initial burst than that observed with conventional particles. The difference in the initial kinetics of drug release is attributed to the uniform distribution of the drug inside the particles generated using the microfluidic methods. These results demonstrate the utility of microfluidic FF for the generation of homogenous systems of particles for the delivery of drugs.