BIOMATNANO4AD: Bioinspired materials in nanosolutions to tackle atopic dermatitis

 PI  Catarina Pereira Leite 

CBIOS team members

Catarina Rosado, Nuno Saraiva, Ana Júlio, Rossana Roque, Cíntia Almeida, João Vieira

From 2021 to 2023

Description

THE STARTING POINT

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the biggest threat among skin conditions in terms of causing patients’ disability and its prevalence is still rising every day [1, 2]. A hallmark of AD is the epidermal barrier dysfunction due to abnormal lipid metabolism causing alterations in the ceramides and fatty acid profiles [3, 4]. Gold standard approaches to treat AD include the daily administration of topical emollients together with the reactive administration of glucocorticoids (GC) during the crisis [5]. This therapeutic approach is far from ideal due to corticophobia and the safety issues of GC therapy. In this context, the proactive regimen is gaining more and more followers, comprising the long-term and low-dose administration of GC and emollients in pre-lesional areas [5, 6]. Sustainable technological approaches are hot topics in R&D&I and in current European Union and UnitedNations development policies. Europe needs locally produced biomaterials as the basis for innovative formulations, among which Hermetia illucens larvae oil seems to be particularly promising to tackle AD due to its fatty acid composition [7, 8]. Moreover, biobased ionic liquids are recognized as green functional materials with great potential to be applied in drug delivery systems [9-12]. Lipid-based nanocarriers seem to be the most suitable platform, due to skin compatibility [13], to combine these biomaterials with barrier enhancing ceramides in order to ultimately deliver emollients and low-dose GC in a cutting-edge formulation to tackle AD.

THE STRATEGY FOR INNOVATION

BIOMATNANO4AD aims to fulfil the current needs in AD management through a bioinspired, nanotechnological, and sustainable approach combining multifunctional biomaterials in lipid-based nanocarriers that cansynergically perform as GC delivery systems and topical emollients. The pentagonal coalition of ceramides, insect oil, ionic liquids, nanotechnology, and glucocorticoids in an innovative multifunctional nanoformulation will allow overcoming existing therapeutic limitations of AD. The product development strategy will be based on the initial optimization and characterization of lipid-based nanocarriers, followed by enhancement of nanosystem performance using biobased ionic liquids. The optimized nanosystems by quality-by-design(QbD) strategies will then proceed to in vitro and in vivo safety assessments. Finally, the efficacy of biocompatible nanoformulations will be tested through in vitro and in vivo methodologies. At the end of BIOMATNANO4AD, it is expected that at least one nanoformulation will have reached a preclinical stage, with potential to make a significant contribution towards a cost-effective treatment to ultimately upgrade the quality of life for AD patients.

THE RIGHT KNOW-HOW

The accomplishment of the ambitious objectives ofBIOMATNANO4AD will be ensured by the know-how of a multidisciplinary team of CBIOS researchers and by the strategic collaborations with a biotech company (EntoGreen) andleading scientific institutions (LAQV and Vienna University). Expertise in the optimization of nanoformulations following a QbD approach [14] decreases the risk and increases the capacity to obtain a nanosystem with optimal stability characteristics, and an adequate safety and efficacy performance. Proficiency in taking full advantage of bioinspired products will be useful in the application of ceramides, insect oil, and ionic liquids in skin formulations [7-12]. Finally, the advanced skills of the research team also enable the successful invitro and in vivo assessment of the cytotoxicity and bioactivity performances of the innovative formulations [11, 15-17]. Meticulously planned collaborations with partners of excellence have been established to further boost product development. This befitting team will also be dedicated to dissemination and communication activities so that the major breakthroughs of BIOMATNANO4AD can be shortly available for the scientific community, academia, pharmaceutical industry, patients’ associations, and general society.

Partners

LAQV, REQUIMTE; University of Vienna; Entogreen

Media

Tratar a dermatite atópica através de formulações bioinspiradas, nanotecnológicas e sustentáveis, Conversas Sobre..., Universidade Lusófona

CBIOS lidera projeto financiado pela FCT no âmbito da dermatite atópica, ECTS, Universidade Lusófona

Funding Entity

Reference: EXPL/BTM-MAT/0112/2021