Deformable Microparticles with Multiple Functions for Drug Delivery

Since the HIV epidemic of the 1990s, researchers have attempted to develop a red blood cell analog. Even though some of these substitutes are now in Phase III of clinical trials, their use is limited by side effects and short half-life in the human body. As a result, there is still a need for an effective erythrocyte analog with minimum immunogenic and side effects, so that it can be used for multiple applications. Finding new approaches to develop more efficient blood substitutes will not only bring valuable advances in the clinical approach, but also in the area of in vitro testing of medical devices. This work examined the feasibility of creating a deformable multi-functional, biodegradable, biocompatible particle for applications in drug delivery and device testing. As a preliminary evaluation, different types of microcapsules were synthesized using natural and synthetic polymers, various cross-linking agents, and diverse manufacturing techniques. After fully characterizing of each system, the most promising red blood cell analog in terms of deformability, stability and toxicity was determined.