We, Asahi Kasei Corporation, are currently developing an innovative pharmaceutical excipient primarily for injections: hyaluronic acid nanogel, Sonanos™. Sonanos™ comprises nano-sized hydrogel particles ranging from 20-100nm. Interestingly, Sonanos™, when dissolved in water, can encapsulate various types of APIs, including peptides or proteins, by the simple addition of API and subsequent mixing, allowing it to act as a DDS carrier. The main functions of the Sonanos™ are as follows:
Solubilization of poorly water-soluble APIs; in particular, it can dramatically improve the solubility of medium-sized molecules with low toxicity compared to existing solubilizers.
Sustained release of APIs from in situ gelling formulation; it is applicable for subcutaneous sustained-release formulation of proteins and medium/small-sized molecules.
Effective APIs delivery to lymph nodes; it is suitable for vaccine applications.
Our Sonanos™ technologies would address the challenges in formulation research arising from the recent trend in drug discovery towards higher molecular weight modalities (e.g., peptides or proteins), such as poor solubility and limited choices of administration routes other than oral. As we have developed proprietary industrial manufacturing technology for Sonanos™, aiming for commercialization, we are ready to provide samples for passionate collaborators who would like to develop innovative formulations utilizing our Sonanos™ technologies.
