Descripción del proyecto
Tecnología de encapsulación proteica de fármacos
Las técnicas de encapsulación son muy comunes en el sector farmacéutico para enmascarar el sabor desagradable de los fármacos y proteger su función, extender su vida útil y facilitar la administración de diferentes principios activos. La biocompatibilidad y la baja toxicidad de las proteínas las convierten en componentes básicos muy prometedores para las microcápsulas. Es más, las proteínas pueden autoensamblarse en estructuras únicas en condiciones suaves. El proyecto ProtCap, financiado con fondos europeos, se basará en trabajos anteriores sobre microcápsulas basadas en proteínas. Se prevé que la demostración de la capacidad de estas microcápsulas para transportar cargas sensibles y de gran valor amplíe las aplicaciones y posibilite la comercialización de la tecnología ProtCap.
Objetivo
In the ProtCap project, we will translate basic technology, developed in the context of the ERC project PhysProt, towards
commercial applications. The technological focus will be on microscapsules assembled through microfluidic techniques
from natural proteins. Encapsulation increasingly underlies the storage and formulation of active components and is a
growing market which impacts areas from cosmetics to personal health-care. In this context, synthetic polymers are the
standard material for forming the shells of microcapsules and other encapsulation platforms. We propose an orthogonal
approach through the use of fully natural building blocks, proteins. Proteins are the fundamental building blocks of life,
underpinning the formation of sophisticated materials and structures in nature through self-assembly. We have been able to
demonstrate the ability to form robust capsules from a range of proteins of both plant and animal origin. This technique
allows for improvements over existing commercially available approaches in terms of biocompatible and biodegradable
products, and ability to undertake all processing steps under mild conditions in aqueous solution for processing sensitive
cargo species. In the present project, we will establish the viability of the protein capsule technology in particular sectors
and generate connections with key industrial players based on initial contacts established so far. A key component of this
approach is the proposed work to demonstrate the encapsulation of technologically important high value cargo materials, a
translational step which will allow us to move towards forging partnerships, and explore licensing of IP to existing industrial
partners in the context of this project, or through providing the basis for setting up a dedicated entity to take forwards the
commercialisation of this technology.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantInstitución de acogida
CB2 1TN Cambridge
Reino Unido