A pharmaceutical formulation comprising polymeric micro-/nanofibers incorporating the marine anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent Echinochrome A
Harnessing Marine Bioactives for Advanced Therapeutic Solutions
Background
Over the recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the expansion of the commercial applications of the marine pigment echinochrome A since, besides its antioxidant and cardioprotective activities, it has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and anti-diabetic activities, among others. The poor water solubility of echinochrome A, in combination with its low stability in solution due to its sensitivity to oxidation, restrict its use in the pharmaceutical sector, prohibiting, up to now, its oral, buccal, nasal or transdermal administration.
Technology Overview
The present invention expands the range of applications of echinochrome A by developing a novel and highly effective pharmaceutical formulation based on micro/nano fibers technology, suitable for oral administration offering targeted delivery and controlled release of echinochrome A, which can be used as a medicament for the prevention/treatment of health problems.
Stage of Development
Today, the invention is in TRL* 4, with the next steps being:
Upscaling of preparation method and production of nano-/microfibrous patches in pilot scale and in vivo evaluation of activity in laboratory animals within the next two years.
Benefits
- The pharmaceutical formulation of the present invention comprising micro-/nanofibers composed of various polymers incorporating echinochrome A offers increased stability and solubility, controlled release and the potential for targeted delivery.
- The developed preparations can be administered via any appropriate route of administration for therapeutic use, i.e., oral or topical or transdermal or buccal or nasal or rectal or parenteral (including subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intradermal, intramuscular, intravenous) or a combination thereof.
Applications
In a further embodiment the therapeutic use of the pharmaceutical formulation includes the following health problems that echinochrome A can treat:
- as a cardioprotective and antioxidant drug for the prevention/treatment of various cardiovascular diseases,
- in ophthalmology for the treatment of a variety of ocular diseases,
- as an anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective agent, against inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, colitis and inflammatory bowel diseases
- as an antioxidant and hypoglycemic agent, for the treatment of diabetes
- as an antiviral agent, against viruses including tick-borne encephalitis virus and herpes simplex viruses of types 1 and 2
- as an antibacterial agent, for the suppression of the bacterial activity in renal injury
- for the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis
- for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease
- as an anticancer agent, including against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, as an adjuvant treatment for chemotherapy
Opportunity
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens is seeking to collaborate and/or license the technology to a pharmaceutical company for scale-up development and commercialization.
Patents
IP Status
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Seeking
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