ISBN-13: 9783639157505 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 96 str.
Proteins are pharmaceuticals with high specificity and activity at relatively low concentrations, but to fully exploit their potential, an increased effort has been put into the research and development of suitable drug delivery concepts. The success of a protein depends on the development of a formulation that maintains the native protein structure and activity during preparation of the delivery system. A joint characteristic of many delivery systems are the presence of two phases and an interface. During preparation, proteins are exposed to mechanical stress, to different excipients, to the mixing of the phase, and to the creation of an oil-water interface. Since proteins are amphiphilic molecules the effect exercised by this exposure to the interface on the structure of the protein is of great importance. This book contains a literature review with emphasis on the various aspects of protein physical stability at the oil-water interface and exemplifies the major choices that have to be made when examining the structural changes in various formulations. It is especially useful to new pharmaceutical scientists moving into this field.