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
Bio- and Nano-Material-Based Strategies for Allergy Therapy
An allergic reaction is the useless response of the immune system toward a harmless substance (allergen) and is the consequence of a failure in the development of tolerance. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only allergy treatment that can provide long-term effects since it tries to address the underlying pathological mechanism, changing the immune response to the allergen from a Th2 response towards a Th1 or a regulatory (Treg) response.
  • 880
  • 01 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Electrospun Coaxial Fibers
Electrospinning is a common method for fabricating drug-loaded fibers. The working fluid is gradually stretched into elongated solid fibers with the help of electrostatic force. Due to the influence of polymers, solvents, and other external conditions, the diameter of fibers usually varies from tens of nanometers to several micrometers. During this process, the drug is immobilized on the homogeneous fiber without destroying its own active molecular structure. Electrospun fibers have several advantages over other drug delivery systems. The high specific surface area of ​​fibers facilitates drug dissolution. The desired drug dissolution process can be tailored according to the composition and structure of the fibers, thereby manipulating the controlled dissolution of the drug.
  • 890
  • 04 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Potential Seaweed-Derived Bioactive Compounds for Pharmaceutical Applications
Seaweeds have been consumed as whole food since ancient times and used to treat several diseases. Nowadays, seaweeds are widely involved in biotechnological applications. Due to the variety of bioactive compounds in their composition, species of phylum Ochrophyta, class Phaeophyceae, phylum Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta are valuable for the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Research has demonstrated that those unique compounds express beneficial properties for human health. Each compound has peculiar properties (e.g., antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral activities, etc.) that can be exploited to enhance human health. Seaweed’s extracted polysaccharides are already involved in the pharmaceutical industry, with the aim of replacing synthetic compounds with components of natural origin. 
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Nano-Dentistry
Dental biomaterials were improved by nanotechnology. It manufactures better materials or improves the existing ones and forms the basis of novel methods for disease diagnosis and prevention. Modern nanotechnology makes oral health care services more acceptable for patients. Nanotechnology is now important area of research, covering a broad range of applications in dentistry.
  • 1.4K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Application of Sol–Gels for Treatment of Gynaecological Conditions
Approaches for effective and sustained drug delivery to the female reproductive tract (FRT) for treating a range of gynaecological conditions remain limited. The development of versatile delivery platforms, such as soluble gels (sol–gels) coupled with applicators/devices, holds considerable therapeutic potential for gynaecological conditions. Sol–gel systems, which undergo solution-to-gel transition, triggered by physiological conditions such as changes in temperature, pH, or ion composition, offer advantages of both solution- and gel-based drug formulations. Furthermore, they have potential to be used as a suitable drug delivery vehicle for other novel drug formulations, including micro- and nano-particulate systems, enabling the delivery of drug molecules of diverse physicochemical character. Hence, such systems are are of profound significance in delivering the drugs to various parts of FRT for optimal treatment of various gynecological conditions which was not achievable using conventional drug delivery technologies.
  • 2.1K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Novel Treatment Approaches to Combat Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a neglected sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellate protozoan responsible for a prevalence of 110.4 million cases and 156.0 million rate of incidence. The last estimative from the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrated the incidence rate for trichomoniasis across the globe, highlighting the African Region with the highest rates, followed by America, Western Pacific, Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and last, the European region. Although most cases are asymptomatic, complaints such as pruritus, vaginal discharge, irritation, and odor are still reported. The long-lasting infection of T. vaginalis, which can persist for months to years, may lead to severe complications such as the premature delivery and low weight of newborns, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and a positive association with the onset of cervical and prostate cancer. 
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Noncoding-RNA-Based Therapeutics
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) defy the central dogma by representing a family of RNA molecules that are not translated into protein but can convey information encoded in their DNA.  The importance of understanding ncRNA is apparent since these molecules regulate gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level exerting pleiotropic effects critical in development, oncogenesis, and immunity. Multiple therapeutic modalities are available for advanced Prostatic Carcinoma (PC), include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and salvage prostatectomy, or various combinations of the aforementioned strategies. Despite significant therapeutic progress, metastatic PC  remains incurable, and therefore, new treatments, including ncRNA therapeutics (which may be used alone or in combination with current options) are necessary. 
  • 1.0K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Molluscivorous and Vermivorous Conus Species
It is generally believed that more than 700 Conus species have evolved during the last 50 million years. With the highest species abundance occurring in southeast Asia, most Conus can be found in the shallow waters of tropical and subtropical oceans. Conus is widely distributed in rocky shores, sandy beaches, coral reefs and intertidal waters, with depths reaching up to over 600 m. Nowadays, Conus species are generally overexploited, and some species are now endangered. Exploring these waters of potentially high species diversity could enrich our understanding of their population’s genetic structure and provide the missing pieces for clarifying Conus evolution. As the conotoxin compounds vary greatly throughout the growth stages and across geolocations within the same species, further investigation of these species-specific regional distribution differences may provide crucial insights for artificial breeding and harvesting specific bioactive compounds in the future.
  • 1.9K
  • 18 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate
Human bone marrow (BM) has been highlighted as a promising source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) containing various growth factors and cytokines that can be potentially utilized in regenerative procedures involving cartilage and bone.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Endophytic Fungi Biosynthesize Important Therapeutic Drugs
In general, microbes produce a collection of secondary metabolites with therapeutic activities. Many are used as anticancer, immunosuppressive, hypocholesterolemic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory agents, or as enzyme inhibitors. Indeed, endophytic fungi have become a treasure trove for bioactive compounds of medicinal and agricultural importance. Several endophytic fungi produce important therapeutic drugs, initially discovered in traditional medicinal plants; for example, paclitaxel, podophyllotoxin, Vinca alkaloids, camptothecin, and fusidic acid.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Feb 2022
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