Drugs are applied to the skin for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including both local (eg. inflammation, muscle pain, eczema, psoriasis and other dermatological conditions) and systemic (eg. angina, hormone replacement, nicotine withdrawal) therapies. Advances in molecular biology technology has also led to the development of a range of large molecular weight peptide and protein based therapeutic agents for which transdermal delivery offers the most cost-effective and practical sol ....Drugs are applied to the skin for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including both local (eg. inflammation, muscle pain, eczema, psoriasis and other dermatological conditions) and systemic (eg. angina, hormone replacement, nicotine withdrawal) therapies. Advances in molecular biology technology has also led to the development of a range of large molecular weight peptide and protein based therapeutic agents for which transdermal delivery offers the most cost-effective and practical solution if appropriate delivery systems can be identified. In addition, unwanted skin absorption also occurs following exposure to environmental occupational chemicals, and those applied deliberately to the skin such as insecticides, sunscreens and cosmetics. This study continues our work in seeking to define the relationship between the chemical structure of agents, the types of formulations and solvents in which they are applied or come into contact with the skin and their penetration, distribution and retention in the various layers of the skin and underlying tissues. Of great significance to both the pharmaceutical industry and risk assessment regulatory bodies will be the further development of our work into important areas relating to the ability to predict the likely behaviour of a solute following contact with the skin from the aspect of both optimising drug delivery systems and the accuracy of risk assessment procedures. We will also be continuing our work examining techniques to facilitate drug transport through the skin using physical techniques such as iontophoresis and the design of formulations to specifically target larger pores in the skin such as hair follicles as a means of improving delivery rates and increasing the range of solutes, particularly those of large molecular weight, likely to be considered as potential drug candidates.Read moreRead less
Drugs are applied to the skin for the treatment of a wide range of conditions including both local (inflammation, pain, eczema, psoriasis) and systemic (angina, nicotine withdrawl, hormone replacement therapy) therapies. Unwanted skin absorption also occurs following exposure to environmental and occupational chemicals, including those applied deliberately to the skin such as insectisides, sunscreens and cosmetics. This study seeks to examine the relationship between the chemical structure of ag ....Drugs are applied to the skin for the treatment of a wide range of conditions including both local (inflammation, pain, eczema, psoriasis) and systemic (angina, nicotine withdrawl, hormone replacement therapy) therapies. Unwanted skin absorption also occurs following exposure to environmental and occupational chemicals, including those applied deliberately to the skin such as insectisides, sunscreens and cosmetics. This study seeks to examine the relationship between the chemical structure of agents, the types of formulations in which they are applied and their penetration into the various layers of the skin and underlying tissues. We intend to further our research into important areas relating to the ability to predict the likely behaviour of a solute which comes into contact with the skin from the aspect of optimising both topical drug delivery systems and risk assessment procedures. We will also be examining techniques of facilitating drug transport through the skin using (i) the knowledge gained of the mechanisms by which vehicles act on the skin, (ii) the synthesis of ester and amide lipophilic prodrugs and (iii) physical techniques such as iontophoresis, whereby small electrical currents are applied to charged drug species on the outside of the skin.Read moreRead less
MPM Non-invasive Imaging Of Biological Interactions Following Drug Delivery With Micro-nanoprojection Patches.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,612.00
Summary
The overarching aim of my research is to develop and evaluate effective, practical and reproducible physical methods for delivering genes and drugs to specific immunologically-sensitive cells in the skin to ultimately treat and vaccinate against human diseases. I recently patented a method using arrays of nano-scale projections on a patch to accurately, efficiently and safely deliver biomolecules not just to specific skin cells, but also to organelles within them. Conceptually, the delivery devi ....The overarching aim of my research is to develop and evaluate effective, practical and reproducible physical methods for delivering genes and drugs to specific immunologically-sensitive cells in the skin to ultimately treat and vaccinate against human diseases. I recently patented a method using arrays of nano-scale projections on a patch to accurately, efficiently and safely deliver biomolecules not just to specific skin cells, but also to organelles within them. Conceptually, the delivery device is a set of microscopic nanoneedles coated with drug substance and applied to the skin as a small patch. The device is practical, needle-free and pain-free. The aim of this current project is to use the micro-nanoprojection array patches-configured to uniquely deliver biomolecules to cells within given strata-to find: 1) what delivery sites of antigen-expression plasmid- toll like receptor (TLR) agonist lead to strong humoral immune responses in the intact animal. 2) whether delivery of different TLR agonists have different effects on the maturation and migration of the different professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the skin, as visualised locally by Multi-Photon Microscopy (MPM). 3) whether differences in APC maturation and migration are associated with different systemic antibody responses. We will identify optimal delivery sites of drugs-vaccines to the skin (layer, cells targeted, duration of delivery) with MPM for desired systemic immune responses. This will have important contributions towards improving immunotherapeutics of major diseases via skin targeting with micro-nanoprojection array patch technologies (and other methods).Read moreRead less
Targeted Redox Therapy For Photoageing Prevention And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$562,815.00
Summary
Our goal is to target natural reduction/oxidation (redox) modifiers, i.e. niacin and sulforaphane, to the skin deeper layers to treat photoageing. Both drugs have been separately shown to prevent UV induced skin cancer. The outcomes of this project will be safer and more effective prevention and treatment of sun damaged skin. This project can provide health benefits to Australians from improved treatment of sun damage, and economic benefits to the nation.
Topical Drug Delivery Based On Porous Silicon Nanoneedles
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
There are currently a number of new drugs that can only be administered through the skin via hypodermic needles, which is costly, invasive and carries the risk of infection spread. This project proposes to develop an alternative strategy based on skin patches covered in millions of microscopic porous needles. These needles are able to puncture the skin painlessly to provide rapid and minimally-invasive administration of drugs for treatment of skin diseases, such as melanoma or psoriasis.
Influence Of Skin Cancer On Topical Elongate Microparticle Drug Delivery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,589.00
Summary
This project builds on a novel cutaneous delivery method using ‘rod-shaped’ microparticles we developed in the Dermatology Research Centre. Microparticle administration results in multiple punctures of the skin’s tough outer layers, increasing permeability. Furthermore, microparticle administration results in a uniform and continuous drug delivery profile within the treatment area, which is an important attribute for the treatment of skin diseases.
Specific Targeting Of Nanosystems By Cutaneous Delivery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$985,026.00
Summary
Substances have long been applied to the skin for therapeutic or cosmetic purposes, but the range of suitable compounds is limited. Consequently, there is a need for a wider range of compounds which can be delivered effectively into the skin for targeted treatment, diagnostic imaging and vaccination. New nanomaterial drug delivery systems are being increasingly used for these purposes. We seek to understand the properties of nanosystems that will enable improved drug targeting via the skin.
My research objectives centre on new technology development for improving diagnostics and therapeutics applied to skin. I have developed and patented novel devices for minimally invasive topical drug delivery and skin sampling. My leadership and tangible research outcomes are now enabling previously impossible skin research to be done and now are also impacting the commercial sector in addition to creating new knowledge in the field.
Biological Membrane Transporters: Delivery Of An Oligonucleotide Inhibitor Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,750.00
Summary
Choroidal neovascularisation, which is the most severe form of Age Related Macular Degeneration, is the major cause of blindness in the developed world. Gene therapy could be a cure for this disease if the problems associated with the delivery of DNA could be addressed. Our project involves a highly novel strategy for gene delivery involving ion pair formation of lipophilic dendrimers (tree-like compounds with positive charges on the surface). We will develop new DNA-dendrimer complexes and test ....Choroidal neovascularisation, which is the most severe form of Age Related Macular Degeneration, is the major cause of blindness in the developed world. Gene therapy could be a cure for this disease if the problems associated with the delivery of DNA could be addressed. Our project involves a highly novel strategy for gene delivery involving ion pair formation of lipophilic dendrimers (tree-like compounds with positive charges on the surface). We will develop new DNA-dendrimer complexes and test them in a well established animal model for neovascularisation. Successful completion of this project might offer a potential therapy for choroidal neovascularisation, with a good chance of entering into human clinical trials.Read moreRead less