Polysaccharides Processing Solutions

The Best Method for Molecular Weight Reduction

Polysaccharides, also called glycans, are clusters of small monosaccharides which make up a larger molecule. Polysaccharides are carbohydrate-based polymers made by all living organisms. Monosaccharides are simple sugars, like glucose. Among the most advantageous aspects of polysaccharides is that they are biocompatible & biodegradable and can be naturally broken down by the body.

Engineering of Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides have many properties that make their hydrophilic structures give an increased probability in targeting tumors as well as their hydrophobic groups providing good carries for insoluble drugs. Polysaccharides can also be used to form conjugate vaccines. However, many polysaccharides starting molecular weight is too large to utilize these great properties.

Using High Shear Forces

Microfluidics technology can use high shear forces to achieve low molecular weight polysaccharides that show positive zeta potential and higher solubility at a neutral pH.

This makes it easier for purification, reduces viscosity, provides more terminal reactive sites, and more.

Polysaccharides in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Polysaccharides are used increasingly in the development of pharmaceuticals. Examples of polysaccharide use in the pharma industry include as plasma expanders, carriers for water-insoluble drugs, in drug formulation, as immune stimulators and vaccine antigens.

Because of their biocompatible and biodegradable properties, the body naturally breaks polysaccharides down to their building blocks. In addition to their structure, the polymer molecular weight can affect the properties of polysaccharides.

Various studies have confirmed the superiority of the Microfluidizer^® technology for molecular weight reduction. Advantages were confirmed in two pharmaceutical case studies for conjugated vaccines containing polysaccharides. The studies conclusively found that Microfluidizer^® technology is effective in achieving the target weight of polysaccharides used as vaccine antigens, in some cases with a single pass. When used for conjugate vaccine development, the Microfluidizer^® processor reduced the molecular weight and the viscosity, creating a more manageable and easily filterable product.

A lab-scale Microfluidizer^® processor, particularly the LV-1 model, is ideally suited for development. This model handles very low volumes and offers a simple, controllable and reproducible method for determining optimum parameters for polymer molecular weight reduction. These parameters can then be used to directly scale up to pilot and/or production volumes.

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Application Notes

Microfluidizer^® Technology for Polysaccharides.

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The Best Method for Molecular Weight Reduction

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Engineering of Polysaccharides

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Using High Shear Forces

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