Department of Pharmacy
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Item Can breakthroughs in dermal and transdermal macromolecule delivery surmount existing barriers and revolutionize future therapeutics?(Springer, 2025-05) Mittal, Anupama; Chitkara, DeepakThe delivery of macromolecules through dermal and transdermal routes presents both significant challenges and transformative opportunities in therapeutic applications. This review highlights the most recent advancements and innovative strategies aimed at overcoming the barriers associated with macromolecular delivery. Cutting-edge approaches such as the use of adjuvants (e.g., hyaluronic acid-based and chemical penetration enhancers), bioactive peptides with diverse functionalities, and mechanical force techniques—including iontophoresis, microneedles, and electroporation—are thoroughly explored. While various strategies have been implemented to enhance skin delivery, they often present significant challenges, particularly for macromolecules. Addressing these challenges requires integrating novel technologies and understanding the interplay between biological barriers and delivery mechanisms. Furthermore, the role of nanotechnology, through systems like nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, and transferosomes, is examined for its ability to protect macromolecules and regulate their release. Notably, this review provides unique perspectives on the interplay between these strategies and their potential to revolutionise future therapeutics. By highlighting key trends and advancements in macromolecule delivery, this review underscores the importance of innovative approaches in overcoming existing barriers and enabling efficient drug administration.Item Simultaneous estimation of rapamycin, temozolomide and its metabolites using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and its application to pharmacokinetics in C6-glioma bearing animals(Elsevier, 2025-09) Mittal, Anupama; Chitkara, DeepakTherapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) plays a crucial role in the optimization of drug dosage profiles and establishing an optimal balance between toxicity and its effectiveness. Developing TDM methods for simultaneous estimation of multiple molecules with diverse physiochemical properties is quite complicated and difficult to achieve. Thus, hindering the quantitative estimation for TDM and in-depth analysis from bench to clinical settings. Therefore, the current study reports a bioanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of anticancer and immunosuppressant molecules (namely rapamycin, temozolomide, and its metabolites) in a single injection using whole blood as a biological matrix.Item cRGD-functionalized nanohybrid conjugates codelivering temozolomide and rapamycin for treating Glioblastoma multiforme: in vitro and in vivo evaluation(ACS, 2025-10) Mittal, Anupama; Chitkara, DeepakThe conventional treatment of glioblastoma multiforme primarily uses Temozolomide as a chemoadjuvant alongside debulking surgery and radiotherapy; however, resistance, as well as tumor recurrence, remains a common outcome. Employing combination therapy to target multiple pathways while improving delivery with advanced systems has always been sought after. Herein, we report cRGD-functionalized hybrid polymeric nanoconjugates that could deliver Temozolomide (TMZ) and rapamycin (RAP) (cRGD-Hybrid TMZ/R NCs) as a dual payload. The cRGD-Hybrid TMZ/R NCs were thoroughly characterized, exhibiting a particle size and surface zeta potential of 141.83 nm (PDI 0.233) and −0.168 mV, respectively. The nanoconjugates carrying TMZ and RAP as dual payloads were initially screened for synergism by determining their combination index in C6 and U87MG glioma cells. Further, in vitro cell-based assays showed improved cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and apoptotic potential of hybrid nanoconjugates. Thereafter, the cRGD-Hybrid TMZ/R NCs were evaluated in a C6-cell-induced syngeneic orthotropic glioma model in Sprague–Dawley rats, exhibiting an improved therapeutic outcome including, reduced hemispherical width (RH/LH) ratios, tumor burden, and improved survival rates compared to the free drug(s) counterpart. The histopathological evaluation indicated no major sign of toxicity in vital organs such as heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and spleen, affirming the biocompatibility of the developed cRGD-Hybrid TMZ/R nanoconjugates. In conclusion, amalgamating the cRGD cell-penetrating peptide with polymer hybrid nanoconjugates presents a better approach for delivering multiple payloads in the treatment of GBM.Item Lipopolymeric nanoplex-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery for VEGF-A knockdown in psoriatic angiogenesis(ACS, 2025-10) Yadav, Sushil; Mittal, Anupama; Chitkara, DeepakPsoriasis is a chronic, incurable inflammatory skin disease characterized by immune cell infiltration, aberrant keratinocyte differentiation, and enhanced angiogenesis. Overexpression of the vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) gene promotes angiogenesis and is essential for endothelial cell migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Therefore, downregulating VEGF-A represents a promising therapeutic strategy for angiogenesis-related disorders. We investigated the application of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) ribonucleoprotein complexes (sgRNA/eGFP-Cas9 RNPs) targeting VEGF-A in psoriasis. To enable efficient delivery in vitro and in vivo, we developed lipopolymeric nanoplexes (NPXs) encapsulating sgRNA/eGFP-Cas9 RNPs. These NPXs exhibited a particle size of 142.2 nm (polydispersity index: 0.144), a zeta potential of +4.27 mV, and achieved >70% transfection efficiency in HaCaT (human immortalized keratinocyte) cells. Ex vivo skin permeation studies demonstrated 66% of permeation after 24 h. The optimized NPX formulation was incorporated into a Carbopol-based gel, which displayed non-Newtonian, shear-thinning behavior with variable thixotropy and achieved 48% of skin permeation after 24 h. In vivo efficacy assessment in an imiquimod-induced psoriasis model in Swiss albino mice showed significantly improved Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, reduced epidermal damage, and suppressed keratinocyte proliferation compared to naked RNPs and blank gel controls. Gene editing analysis revealed an indel frequency of 40.7% by T7 endonuclease I assay and 14% by Sanger sequencing. Enhanced cellular uptake, efficient skin permeation and retention, and improved therapeutic efficacy collectively highlight the potential of NPX-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery as a noninvasive strategy for psoriasis treatment.Item Neurotensin conjugated polymeric porous microparticles suppress inflammation and improve angiogenesis aiding in diabetic wound healing(Wiley, 2024-11) Chitkara, Deepak; Mittal, AnupamaNeurotensin (NT), a bioactive tridecapeptide aids in diabetic wound healing by modulating inflammation and angiogenesis. However, its rapid degradation in peptidase-rich wound environment (plasma half-life <2 min) limits its efficacy. To address this, neurotensin-conjugated polymeric porous microparticles (NT-PMP) were developed and loaded in gelatin (hydrogel 15% w/v) for topical application, enabling sustained NT release to enhance therapeutic outcomes. NT-PMP exhibited a size range of 60 – 240 µm (mean: 120.63 ± 40.71 µm) and pore size of 5 – 16 µm (average: 10.68 ± 3.47 µm). In vitro studies demonstrated cytocompatibility of NT-PMP in fibroblasts and reduced TNF-α levels in inflammation-induced macrophages (1256 ± 167.02 pg/ml). Further NT-PMP scaffold depicted excellent cell adhesion and migration properties upon seeding of dermal fibroblasts on surface of PMPs. In vivo studies in diabetic wound rat model demonstrated effective wound management, characterized by notable regenerative and healing attributes in the presence of NT-PMP. This included complete re-epithelialization, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α), and enhancing VEGF expression, ultimately leading to the development of a well-organized collagen matrix in diabetic wounds upon application of NT-PMP gel.Altogether, NT conjugated PMP loaded in hydrogel demonstrated significant regenerative and healing properties, suggesting its potential as an alternative treatment for diabetic wounds.Item Targeting the epigenome with advanced delivery strategies for epigenetic modulators(AIChE, 2024-08) Chitkara, Deepak; Pandey, Murali Monohar; Mittal, AnupamaEpigenetics mechanisms play a significant role in human diseases by altering DNA methylation status, chromatin structure, and/or modifying histone proteins. By modulating the epigenetic status, the expression of genes can be regulated without any change in the DNA sequence itself. Epigenetic drugs exhibit promising therapeutic efficacy against several epigenetically originated diseases including several cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and so forth. Currently, a considerable amount of research is focused on discovering new drug molecules to combat the existing research gap in epigenetic drug therapy. A novel and efficient delivery system can be established as a promising approach to overcome the drawbacks associated with the current epigenetic modulators. Therefore, formulating the existing epigenetic drugs with distinct encapsulation strategies in nanocarriers, including solid lipid nanoparticles, nanogels, bio-engineered nanocarriers, liposomes, surface modified nanoparticles, and polymer–drug conjugates have been examined for therapeutic efficacy. Nonetheless, several epigenetic modulators are untouched for their therapeutic potential through different delivery strategies. This review provides a comprehensive up to date discussion on the research findings of various epigenetics mechanism, epigenetic modulators, and delivery strategies utilized to improve their therapeutic outcome. Furthermore, this review also highlights the recently emerged CRISPR tool for epigenome editing.Item Recent advancements in lipid based nanocarrier systems for the treatment of wounds(Elsevier, 2025) Chitkara, Deepak; Mittal, AnupamaWound healing is a complex and dynamic process that involves a well-coordinated interaction between various immunological and biological systems. Various active pharmaceutical ingredients delivered in the form of ointments and creams are available in the market. However, the major setbacks associated with these delivery systems include poor permeation and rapid degradation of active pharmaceutical ingredients in harsh wound environment. Therefore lipid-based nanocarrier systems have emerged as a promising approach for topical drug delivery in wound healing. The major advantages associated with these carriers are biocompatibility, biodegradability, high encapsulation efficiency, enhanced cellular uptake, controlled-release profile, and better tissue penetration. Moreover, lipid-based nanocarriers can accommodate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutic molecules, including small molecules, proteins, peptides, and growth factors, depending on the nature and content of lipids used to prepare lipid-based nanocarriers. Recently, lipid nanoparticles have been extensively explored for mRNA delivery, which upregulate/downregulate the target proteins that aid in accelerated healing in chronic wounds. This chapter summarizes the recent advancements in lipid-based nanocarriers in delivering small molecules and macromolecules for treating various types of wounds.Item Enhancing temozolomide in vivo stability and efficacy through hybrid nanoconjugate approach for improved glioblastoma multiforme treatment(Elsevier, 2025-01) Chitkara, Deepak; Mittal, AnupamaTemozolomide (TMZ) is considered as a standard-of-care DNA alkylating agent for treating glioblastoma multiforme. Despite being a highly potent molecule, TMZ poses several limitations, including short half-life, rapid metabolism, low brain bioavailability and dose-dependent toxicities. Attempts have been made to improve the delivery of TMZ that showed nominal therapeutic outcomes. In the current study, we have conjugated TMZ to mPEG-b-P(CB-{g-COOH} copolymer to obtain mPEG-b-P(CB-{g-COOH; g-TMZn} that demonstrated improvement in stability and efficacy. Further, a hybrid TMZ nanoconjugate formulation was developed using mPEG-b-P(CB-{g-COOH; g-TMZ40} and mPEG-polylactic acid (mPEG-PLA) that showed an average size of 105.7 nm with narrow PDI of <0.2 and TMZ loading of 21.6%. Stability was assessed under physiological conditions wherein TMZ was found to be stable with a half-life of ∼194 h compared to 1.8 h for free TMZ. The Hybrid TMZ nanoconjugates showed improved intracellular uptake and reduced IC50 values in C6 and U87MG glioma cells. Further, they exhibited better in vivo therapeutic outcome, i.e., reduced brain weight, hemispherical width ratio and improved survival rate in C6-cell induced orthotropic glioma model in Sprague Dawley rats compared to the free TMZ-treated and positive control animals. Histopathological evaluation also revealed reduced cell infiltration in the lungs and reduced toxicity in major organs. Overall, the hybrid nanoconjugates of TMZ significantly improved its stability and efficacy in the GBM model, thereby opening newer avenues for treatment.Item Immunocyte Derived Exosomes: Insight into the Potential Chemo-immunotherapeutic Nanocarrier Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment(ACS, 2022-12) Mittal, Anupama“Cancer” is a dreadful immune-pathological condition that is characterized by anti-inflammatory and tumorigenic responses, elicited by the infiltrating immune cells in the vicinity of an uncontrollably proliferative tumor in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME offers a conducive microenvironment that supports cancer cell survival by modulating the host immune defense. Recent advancement in exosomal research has shown exosomes, originating from immune cells as well as the cancer cells, have immense potential for suppressing cancer progression and survival in the TME. Additionally, exosomes, irrespective of their diverse sources, have been reported to be efficient nanocarriers for cancer therapeutics with the ability for targeted delivery due to their biogenic nature, ease of cellular uptake, and scope for functionalization with biomolecules like peptides, aptamers, targeting ligands, etc. Immune cell-derived exosomes per se have been found efficacious against cancer owing to their immune-stimulant properties (in either naive or antigen primed form) even without loading any of cancer therapeutics or targeting ligand conjugation. Nevertheless, exosomes are being primarily explored as nanovesicular carriers for therapeutic molecules with different loading and targeting strategies, and the synergism between immunotherapeutic behavior of exosomes and the anticancer effect of the therapeutic molecules is yet to be explored. Hence, this review focuses specifically on the possible strategies to modulate the immunological nature of the source immune cells to obtain immune stimulant exosomes and bring these into the spotlight as chemo-immunotherapeutic nanovesicles, that can easily target and modulate the TME.Item Pramlintide an Adjunct to Insulin Therapy: Challenges and Recent Progress in Delivery(ASPET, 2024-01) Mittal, Anupama; Chitkara, DeepakDysregulation of various glucoregulatory hormones lead to failure of insulin monotherapy in patients with diabetes mellitus due to various reasons, including severe hypoglycemia, glycemic hypervariability, and an increased risk of microvascular complications. However, pramlintide as an adjunct to insulin therapy enhances glucagon suppression and thereby offers improved glycemic control. Clinical studies have shown that pramlintide improves glycemic control, reduces postprandial glucose excursions, and promotes weight loss in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Although clinical benefits of pramlintide are well reported, there still exists a high patient resistance for the therapy, as separate injections for pramlintide and insulin must be administered. Although marketed insulin formulations generally demonstrate a peak action in 60–90 minutes, pramlintide elicits its peak concentration at around 20–30 minutes after administration. Thus, owing to the significant differences in pharmacokinetics of exogenously administered pramlintide and insulin, the therapy fails to elicit its action otherwise produced by the endogenous hormones. Hence, strategies such as delaying the release of pramlintide by using inorganic polymers like silica, synthetic polymers like polycaprolactone, and lipids have been employed. Also, approaches like noncovalent conjugation, polyelectrolyte complexation, and use of amphiphilic excipients for codelivery of insulin and pramlintide have been explored to address the issues with pramlintide delivery and improve patient adherence to the therapy. This approach may usher in a new era of diabetes management, offering patients multiple options to tailor their treatment and improve their quality of life