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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Antiviral Drug Delivery
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Antiviral Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 14168

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Diganta B. Das

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering (AACME), Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Interests: water and soil security; wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue (SI) entitled Antiviral Drug Delivery.

This SI focusses on highlighting the recent trends and innovative developments in antiviral drug delivery methods.

Viruses are submicroscopic intracellular parasites that consist of DNA or RNA typically enclosed in a protein coat called the capsid. The caspid can have different shapes, size, and protein subunits depending on the virus type. Caspids contain sites on their surfaces which enable the virion to develop affinity for attaching to specific host cells. The capsid provides proteins that enable the virion to attack the host cell membrane and, in some cases, inject infectious genetic materials into the host cells. Therefore, the clinical efficacy of antiviral drugs, their bioavailability, and methods of their delivery and targeting to the site of damaged host cells are issues of key concern which must also be taken into careful consideration when developing methods for treating viral infections. The growth/replication of the specific virus in the host cells and how to target those the host cells for treatment are also of particular concern for developing antiviral treatment.

The typical routes for antiviral drugs involve oral and parenteral routes of drug administration. It is known that these routes have several limitations and, therefore, alternative routes for antiviral drug delivery which overcome the limitations of the traditional drug delivery routes could be useful.

In view of the above, I welcome your contributions on of the following topics, in addition to others related to the theme of the SI.

  1. Antiviral drug formulation involving submicron and microemulsions, liposomes, nano- and microparticles
  2. Nanomaterials that may be used for the delivery of antiviral drugs
  3. Fabrication and performance of drug delivery devices particularly for alternative routes of antiviral drug delivery
  4. Methods of targeting sites for antiviral drug action
  5. Drug design; pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, and patient safety of antiviral drugs.

I look forward to your active participation in this endeavour and receiving your contributions.

Dr. Diganta B. Das
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antiviral drugs formulation
  • submicron and microemulsions, liposomes, nano- and microparticles
  • morphology control
  • controlled antiviral drug delivery methods
  • antiviral drug delivery devices
  • nanomaterials for delivery of antiviral drugs
  • pharmaceutical dosage forms, targeted drug delivery
  • pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, and patient safety in the context of antiviral drugs

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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7 pages, 1651 KiB  
Communication
The Aerogen® Solo Is an Alternative to the Small Particle Aerosol Generator (SPAG-2) for Administration of Inhaled Ribavirin
by Ronald H. Dallas, Jason K. Rains, Keith Wilder, William Humphrey, Shane J. Cross, Saad Ghafoor, Jessica N. Brazelton de Cardenas, Randall T. Hayden and Diego R. Hijano
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(12), 1163; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12121163 - 29 Nov 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4741
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with adverse outcomes among immunocompromised patients. Inhaled ribavirin has been shown to improve mortality rates. The Small-Particle Aerosol Generator delivery system (SPAG-2) is the only FDA-cleared device to deliver inhaled ribavirin. However, it is difficult to set [...] Read more.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with adverse outcomes among immunocompromised patients. Inhaled ribavirin has been shown to improve mortality rates. The Small-Particle Aerosol Generator delivery system (SPAG-2) is the only FDA-cleared device to deliver inhaled ribavirin. However, it is difficult to set up and maintain. We developed a method for delivery of this medication using the vibrating mesh nebulizer (Aerogen®). We did not observe any adverse events with this method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Drug Delivery)
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Review

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17 pages, 964 KiB  
Review
In Vivo Electroporation of Plasmid DNA: A Promising Strategy for Rapid, Inexpensive, and Flexible Delivery of Anti-Viral Monoclonal Antibodies
by Silvere Pagant and Rachel A. Liberatore
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(11), 1882; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13111882 - 06 Nov 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3231
Abstract
Since the first approval of monoclonal antibodies by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1986, therapeutic antibodies have become one of the predominant classes of drugs in oncology and immunology. Despite their natural function in contributing to antiviral immunity, antibodies [...] Read more.
Since the first approval of monoclonal antibodies by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1986, therapeutic antibodies have become one of the predominant classes of drugs in oncology and immunology. Despite their natural function in contributing to antiviral immunity, antibodies as drugs have only more recently been thought of as tools for combating infectious diseases. Passive immunization, or the delivery of the products of an immune response, offers near-immediate protection, unlike the active immune processes triggered by traditional vaccines, which rely on the time it takes for the host’s immune system to develop an effective defense. This rapid onset of protection is particularly well suited to containing outbreaks of emerging viral diseases. Despite these positive attributes, the high cost associated with antibody manufacture and the need for a cold chain for storage and transport limit their deployment on a global scale, especially in areas with limited resources. The in vivo transfer of nucleic acid-based technologies encoding optimized therapeutic antibodies transform the body into a bioreactor for rapid and sustained production of biologics and hold great promise for circumventing the obstacles faced by the traditional delivery of antibodies. In this review, we provide an overview of the different antibody delivery strategies that are currently being developed, with particular emphasis on in vivo transfection of naked plasmid DNA facilitated by electroporation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Drug Delivery)
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12 pages, 483 KiB  
Review
Past HIV-1 Medications and the Current Status of Combined Antiretroviral Therapy Options for HIV-1 Patients
by Matthew Weichseldorfer, Marvin Reitz and Olga S. Latinovic
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(11), 1798; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13111798 - 27 Oct 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2996
Abstract
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) is treatment with a combination of several antiretroviral drugs that block multiple stages in the virus replication cycle. An estimated 60% of the 38 million HIV-1 patients globally receive some form of cART. The benefits of cART for controlling [...] Read more.
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) is treatment with a combination of several antiretroviral drugs that block multiple stages in the virus replication cycle. An estimated 60% of the 38 million HIV-1 patients globally receive some form of cART. The benefits of cART for controlling HIV-1 replication, transmission, and infection rates have led to its universal recommendation. Implementation has caused a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality of persons living with HIV-1/AIDS (PLWHA). More specifically, standard cART has provided controlled, undetectable levels of viremia, high treatment efficacy, reduction in pill burden, and an improved lifestyle in HIV-1 patients overall. However, HIV-1 patients living with AIDS (HPLA) generally show high viral loads upon cART interruption. Latently infected resting CD4+ T cells remain a major barrier to curing infected patients on long-term cART. There is a critical need for more effective compounds and therapies that not only potently reactivate latently infected cells, but also lead to the death of these reactivated cells. Efforts are ongoing to better control ongoing viral propagation, including the identification of appropriate animal models that best mimic HIV-1 pathogenesis, before proceeding with clinical trials. Limited toxicity profiles, improved drug penetration to certain tissues, and extended-release formulations are needed to cover gaps in existing HIV-1 treatment options. This review will cover past, current, and new cART strategies recently approved or in ongoing development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Drug Delivery)
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14 pages, 1268 KiB  
Review
Updated View on Kidney Transplant from HCV-Infected Donors and DAAs
by Fabrizio Fabrizi, Roberta Cerutti, Carlo M. Alfieri and Piergiorgio Messa
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(4), 496; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13040496 - 06 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1900
Abstract
Background: The discrepancy between the number of potential available kidneys and the number of patients listed for kidney transplant continues to widen all over the world. The transplant of kidneys from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected donors into HCV naïve recipients has grown recently [...] Read more.
Background: The discrepancy between the number of potential available kidneys and the number of patients listed for kidney transplant continues to widen all over the world. The transplant of kidneys from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected donors into HCV naïve recipients has grown recently because of persistent kidney shortage and the availability of direct-acting antiviral agents. This strategy has the potential to reduce both waiting times for transplant and the risk of mortality in dialysis. Aim: We made an extensive review of the scientific literature in order to review the efficacy and safety of kidney transplant from HCV-viremic donors into HCV naïve recipients who received early antiviral therapy with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Results: Evidence has been rapidly accumulated on this topic and some reports have been published (n = 11 studies, n = 201 patients) over the last three years. Various combinations of DAAs were administered—elbasvir/grazoprevir (n = 38), glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (n = 110), and sofosbuvir-based regimens (n = 53). DAAs were initiated in a range between a few hours before renal transplant (RT) to a median of 76 days after RT. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate was between 97.5% and 100%. A few severe adverse events (SAEs) were noted including fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (n = 3), raised serum aminotransferase levels (n = 11), and acute rejection (n = 7). It remains unclear whether the AEs were related to the transmission of HCV, the use of DAAs, or kidney transplant per se. It appears that the frequency of AEs was greater in those studies where DAAs were not given in the very early post-kidney transplant phase. Conclusions: The evidence gathered to date encourages the expansion of the kidney donor pool with the adoption of HCV-infected donor organs. We suggest that kidney transplants from HCV-viremic kidneys into HCV-uninfected recipients should be made in the context of research protocols. Many of the studies reported above were externally funded and we need research generating “real-world” evidence. The recent availability of pangenotypic combinations of DAAs, which can be given even in patients with eGFR < 30/min/1.73 m2, will promote the notion that HCV-viremic donors are a significant resource for kidney transplant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Drug Delivery)
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