Summary

The advent of biopharmaceuticals in current medicine brought enormous benefits to the treatment of life-threatening human diseases (e.g., cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders), and improved the well-being of many people worldwide. The global portfolio of these therapeutic products include proteins and antibodies, nucleic acids, and cell-based products, and continues to expand at a rapid pace - approvals in the period 2015-2018 essentially double the typical five-yearly historical approval pace (G. Walsh, Nat. Biotechnol., 36:1136-1145, 2018) -, representing a significant share of the entire market of pharmaceuticals.

Innovation in the (bio)pharmaceutical industry has been driven towards the development of cost-effective manufacturing processes, envisaging the delivery of products in high quantity, with superior quality (purity), and high specificity, with the ultimate goal of benefiting patients. Progress in this direction have resulted from the application of novel technologies in the upstream stage (high-throughput, single-use devices, statistical optimization of media and fermentation conditions, QbD, and continuous processing), while at the downstream level, chromatography has evolved through the development of new resins and ligands, coupled with advances in process modelling, operating and control strategies.

An emerging trend is the application of alternative solvents such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, in which their structure and physicochemical properties can be tuned to address unmet needs in (bio)pharmaceutical research. These compounds may be derived from natural and reneawable sources and hold great promise in the development of efficient, sustainable and cost-effective biopharmaceuticals purification processes.

This Entry Collection aims to provide the latest progresses achieved in pharmaceuticals bioprocessing. We welcome submissions of original research, comprehensive reviews and perspectives, including, but not limited, to the following fields:

- Upstream processing (genetic engineering, systems biology, difficult-to-express proteins, expression conditions, Quality by Design approaches, process analytical technologies);

- Chromatographic purification methods (process modelling and control, continuous bioprocessing, design and characterization of resins and ligands, new formats);

- Alternative purification methods (aqueous biphasic systems, filtration, crystallization, precipitation);

- Application of neoteric solvents in upstream and downstream stages;

- Analytical characterization of biopharmaceuticals (stability, post-translational modifications, biological activity, immunogenicity); 

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Entries
Topic Review
Developments in FRET- and BRET-Based Biosensors
Resonance energy transfer technologies have achieved great success in the field of analysis. Particularly, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) provide strategies to design tools for sensing molecules and monitoring biological processes, which promote the development of biosensors.
  • 1.5K
  • 06 Jan 2023
Topic Review
4D Printing Technology
4D printing (4DP) is an evolution of 3DP where additive manufacturing printing techniques are employed. In other words, adapting 3DP processes for 4DP of shape memory polymers (SMPs) or smart materials requires minor adjustments. In order to produce the desired shape-changing materials as per estimation or for optimal application, an air circulation system may be incorporated into 3DP’s traditional fused deposition method (FDM) technology. This would cool the SMP below its Tg and, after these small alterations, previous 3DP methods such as stereolithography apparatus (SLA), digital laser writing and inkjet printing can also be employed.
  • 985
  • 05 Jan 2023
Topic Review
The Role of Pulmonary Surfactant Phospholipids in Interstitial Lung Diseases
Diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLD) or Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of lung conditions with common characteristics that can progress to fibrosis. Within this group of pneumonias, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is considered the most common. This disease has no known cause, is devastating and has no cure.
  • 2.3K
  • 04 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Liposomal Amphotericin B for Treatment of Leishmaniasis
The liposomal amphotericin B (AmB) formulation, AmBisome®, still represents the best therapeutic option for cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. However, the need for parenteral administration, its side effects and high cost significantly limit its use in developing countries. The recent advances in the development of topical and oral formulations of liposomal AmB are presented, in addition to the current knowledge on the physicochemical and pharmacological features of AmB.
  • 1.1K
  • 24 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Active Ingredients and Medicinal Properties of Medicinal Mushrooms
Fruiting bodies, mycelia, or spores in the form of extracts or powder of various medicinal mushrooms are used to prevent, treat, or cure a range of ailments and balance a healthy diet. Medicinal mushrooms are found in several genera of fungi and their fruit bodies, cultured mycelia, and cultured broth contains phytochemical constituents such as triterpenes, lectins, steroids, phenols, polyphenols, lactones, statins, alkaloids, and antibiotics. Edible mushrooms are considered functional foods that can be used as supplements for complementary and alternative medicines where the markets are growing rapidly. Several species of edible mushrooms possess therapeutic potential and functional characteristics. The psilocybin-containing types, sometimes known as magic mushrooms, have been utilized for generations by indigenous communities due to their hallucinogenic, medicinal, and mind-manifestation properties.
  • 2.1K
  • 03 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Treating Delusional Disorder with Antipsychotics
Delusional disorder (DD) has been considered a treatment-resistant disorder, with antipsychotics acknowledged as the best. It is possible that the discovery of the right drug could turn treatment resistance into treatment response.
  • 3.8K
  • 29 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Thymus algeriensis Boiss. and Reut.
The word Thymus comes from the Greek “thyo”, which means “offering” (to be burnt) and “perfume” because of the pleasant smell that the plant gives off naturally when burnt. T. algeriensis Boiss. and Reut. are classified in section Hyphodromi (A. Kerner) Haläcsy and subsection Subbracteati (Klokov) Jalas. It belongs to the order Lamiale, subfamily Nepetoideae, and tribe Menthae.
  • 1.8K
  • 30 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Major Mechanisms of Kaempferol in Management of Cancer
Plant-derived flavonoids are considered natural nontoxic chemo-preventers and have been widely studied for cancer treatment in recent decades. Mostly all flavonoid compounds show significant anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant properties. Kaempferol (Kmp) is a well-studied compound and exhibits remarkable anticancer and antioxidant potential. Kmp can regulate various cancer-related processes and activities such as cell cycle, oxidative stress, apoptosis, proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Dec 2022
Topic Review
TEVs-Mediated Communication between Tumor and Immune Cells
Tumor cell-derived extracellular vesicles (TEVs) are an important means of tumor communication with, and manipulation of, the patient’s physiology. TEVs influence the local tumor environment as well as the systemic conditions of the patient.
  • 1.1K
  • 28 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Nanomaterials to Enhance Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is one of the most common technologies used to produce millions of copies of targeted nucleic acid in vitro and has become an indispensable technique in molecular biology. However, it suffers from low efficiency and specificity problems, false positive results, and so on. Although many conditions can be optimized to increase PCR yield, such as the magnesium ion concentration, the DNA polymerases, the number of cycles, and so on, they are not all-purpose and the optimization can be case dependent. Nano-sized materials offer a possible solution to improve both the quality and productivity of PCR. Nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention and gradually penetrated the field of life sciences because of their unique chemical and physical properties, such as their large surface area and small size effect, which have greatly promoted developments in life science and technology. Additionally, PCR technology assisted by NPs (NanoPCR) such as gold NPs (Au NPs), quantum dots (QDs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), etc., have been developed to significantly improve the specificity, efficiency, and sensitivity of PCR and to accelerate the PCR reaction process. 
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Dec 2022
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