Achievement

Using micron & nano-drug particles in pharma to improve bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs still leaves many unsolved problems in formation and utilization of small particles, i.e., formation and utilization and lack of reliable methods to produce them. Keeping their size from growing or changing structure, a stability issue, is a challenge. Surfactants, polymers, and their combinations are known as good agents to stabilize drug molecules. One approach is to utilize a surfactant or polymer that works in a scalable, continuous operation. Trainee Chris Beck has systematically investigated this interdisc.topic under supervision of mentors from engineering and chemistry. Beck designed and developed an industrially relevant approach with input from Prof. Prud'homme, forming micron & nano particles of pharmaceutical drugs in a continuous system based on the principles of T-mixer. Beck used minimal surfactants while using bio-compatible polymers to address the stability problem