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
Health-Promoting Effects of Bioactive Compounds from Endophytic Fungi
The study examines the intricate relationship between plants and the endophytic fungi inhabiting their tissues. These fungi harmoniously coexist with plants, forming a distinct symbiotic connection that has caught scientific attention due to its potential implications for plant health and growth. The diverse range of bioactive compounds produced by these fungi holds significant promise for human health.
  • 362
  • 09 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Local Antibiotic Carriers in Prosthetic Joint Infection
Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) causes significant morbidity and mortality for patients globally. Delivery of antibiotics to the site of infection has potential to improve the treatment outcomes and enhance biofilm eradication. These antibiotics can be delivered using an intra-articular catheter or combined with a carrier substance to enhance pharmacokinetic properties. Use of an antibiotic carrier is an alternative method of maintaining high local concentrations of antibiotic without systemic exposure. These substances incorporate an antimicrobial to prolong its half-life and provide predictable elution characteristics. They may also serve additional roles, such as filling dead space and providing mechanical support for limb alignment. The ideal antibiotic carrier would provide prolonged antibiotic concentrations at an effective level and achieve complete antibiotic release to minimise subtherapeutic elution time. It would also be versatile and have compatibility with the desired antibiotics, and fully resorbable with minimal risk of allergies, and systemic or local adverse effects.
  • 348
  • 25 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Methods in Drug Combination Prediction
The prediction of drug combinations is of great clinical significance. In many diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and stomach ulcers, the simultaneous use of two or more drugs has shown clear efficacy. It has greatly reduced the progression of drug resistance. 
  • 168
  • 22 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Multifaceted Roles of Gold Nanoparticles
Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been recently applied for various diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The unique properties of these nanoparticles (NPs), such as relative ease of synthesis in various sizes, shapes and charges, stability, high drug-loading capacity and relative availability for modification accompanied by non-cytotoxicity and biocompatibility, make them an ideal field of research in bio-nanotechnology. Moreover, their potential to alleviate various inflammatory factors, nitrite species, and reactive oxygen production and the capacity to deliver therapeutic agents has attracted attention for further studies in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Furthermore, the characteristics of GNPs and surface modification can modulate their toxicity, biodistribution, biocompatibility, and effects. 
  • 295
  • 20 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Innovative Therapies for Wound Healing
Wound healing is divided into four overlapping phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling/maturation. During hemostasis, endothelial cells secrete the von Willebrand factor, favoring the adhesion of platelets, which release mediators. During the inflammatory phase mast cells promote vasodilation by the secretion of histamine or serotonin. During the proliferative phase, fibroblasts, in addition to being involved in the formation of granulation tissue, are involved both in the regulation of keratinocyte migration and proliferation other than in angiogenesis. The main processes that distinguish the maturation (or remodeling) phase are collagen restoration and wound contraction, the latter due to myofibroblasts originating from the fibroblasts.
  • 628
  • 19 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Targeted Strategies for Degradation of Key Transmembrane Proteins in Cancer
Targeted protein degradation is an attractive technology for cancer treatment due to its ability to overcome the unpredictability of the small molecule inhibitors that cause resistance mutations. Various targeted protein degradation strategies have been developed based on the ubiquitin–proteasome system in the cytoplasm or the autophagy–lysosomal system during endocytosis. Here describe technologies for the targeted inhibition and targeted degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), one of the major transmembrane proteins responsible for the onset and progression of many types of cancer.
  • 314
  • 21 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Nefroprotective Potential of Amazonian Plant Species
There are several Amazonian plant species with potential pharmacological validation for the treatment of acute kidney injury, a condition in which the kidneys are unable to adequately filter the blood, resulting in the accumulation of toxins and waste in the body. 
  • 220
  • 14 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Phlorotannins in Cancer
Mitochondrial dysfunction is an interesting therapeutic target to help reduce cancer deaths, and the use of bioactive compounds has emerged as a novel and safe approach to solve this problem. Phlorotannins, a type of polyphenol present in brown seaweeds that reportedly functions as antioxidants/pro-oxidants and anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic agents. Specifically, available evidence indicates that dieckol and phloroglucinol promote mitochondrial membrane depolarization and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Phlorotannins also reduce pro-tumorigenic, -inflammatory, and -angiogenic signaling mechanisms involving RAS/MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NF-κB, and VEGF. In doing so, they inhibit pathways that favor cancer development and progression. 
  • 218
  • 14 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Applications of Saponins
Saponins are a diverse group of naturally occurring plant secondary metabolites present in a wide range of foods ranging from grains, pulses, and green leaves to sea creatures. They consist of a hydrophilic sugar moiety linked to a lipophilic aglycone, resulting in an amphiphilic nature and unique functional properties. Their amphiphilic structures enable saponins to exhibit surface-active properties, resulting in stable foams and complexes with various molecules. In the context of food applications, saponins are utilized as natural emulsifiers, foaming agents, and stabilizers. They contribute to texture and stability in food products and have potential health benefits, including cholesterol-lowering and anticancer effects. Saponins possess additional bioactivities that make them valuable in the pharmaceutical industry as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic agents to name a few. Saponins can demonstrate cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines and can also act as adjuvants, enhancing the immune response to vaccines. 
  • 609
  • 11 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Composition of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are spherical vesicles composed of ionizable lipids that are neutral at physiological pH. Despite their benefits, unmodified LNP drug delivery systems have substantial drawbacks, including a lack of targeted selectivity, a short blood circulation period, and in vivo instability. lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) are the next generation of nanoparticles, having the combined benefits of polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes. LPHNPs are being prepared from both natural and synthetic polymers with various techniques, including one- or two-step methods, emulsification solvent evaporation (ESE) method, and the nanoprecipitation method. Varieties of LPHNPs, including monolithic hybrid nanoparticles, core–shell nanoparticles, hollow core–shell nanoparticles, biomimetic lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles, and polymer-caged liposomes, have been investigated for various drug delivery applications.
  • 644
  • 08 Sep 2023
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