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
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Administration
The treatment of dairy cows with nonsteroidal drugs is applied experimentally to investigate the relevance of inflammation during the periparturient period. Despite appearing healthy, dairy cows throughout the transition period and mainly after parturition can develop a pro-inflammatory status that may negatively influence milk production and cows’ health. The administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been demonstrated to have both positive or negative effects on health and milk production, depending on the type of inhibition mechanism, the dose administered and the cows’ lactation numbers. At present, the safety and efficacy of NSAIDs have not been irrefutably demonstrated; therefore, their use to improve metabolic and inflammatory status, as well as milk production and cow health after parturition, should be carefully evaluated.
  • 977
  • 21 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Lysophosphatidic Acid and Cancer
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid mediator primarily derived from membrane phospholipids. LPA initiates cellular effects upon binding to a family of G protein-coupled receptors, termed LPA receptors (LPAR1 to LPAR6). LPA signaling drives cell migration and proliferation, cytokine production, thrombosis, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis.
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Phytocannabinoids Biosynthesis in Plants
Phytocannabinoids are a structurally diverse class of bioactive naturally occurring compounds found in angiosperms, fungi, and liverworts and produced in several plant organs such as the flower and glandular trichrome of Cannabis sativa, the scales in Rhododendron, and oil bodies of liverworts such as Radula species; they show a diverse role in humans and plants. Moreover, phytocannabinoids are prenylated polyketides, i.e., terpenophenolics, which are derived from isoprenoid and fatty acid precursors. Additionally, targeted productions of active phytocannabinoids have beneficial properties via the genes involved and their expression in a heterologous host. Bioactive compounds show a remarkable non-hallucinogenic biological property that is determined by the variable nature of the side chain and prenyl group defined by the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis. Phytocannabinoids possess therapeutic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties; thus, they are used in treating several human diseases. 
  • 1.6K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Nanotechnology-facilitated Bacterial Therapy
In recent years, advancing nanotechnology has extended bacterial therapies to a higher level through tailoring bacteria on a nanoscale, such as bacteria-derived nanovesicles and bacterial membrane-coated nanoparticles, or endowing bacteria with abilities to serve as drug carriers, photosensitizers, and sonosensitizers.
  • 1.2K
  • 09 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Bisphosphonate-Based Conjugates and Derivatives
Metastatic bone cancer occurs in every type of cancer but is prevalent in lung, breast, and prostate cancers. These metastases can cause extensive morbidity, including a range of skeletal-related events, often painful and linked with substantial hospital resource usage. The treatment used is a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. However, anticancer drugs are still limited because of severe side effects, drug resistance, poor blood supply, and non-specific drug uptake, necessitating high toxic doses. Bisphosphonates are the dominant class of drugs used to inhibit metastatic bone cancer. It is also used to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases. However, bisphosphonate also suffers from serious side effects. Thus, there is a serious need to develop bisphosphonate conjugates with promising therapeutic outcomes for treating metastatic bone cancer and osteoporosis. This review article focuses on the biological outcomes of designed bisphosphonate-based conjugates for the treatment of metastatic bone cancer and osteoporosis. 
  • 1.0K
  • 09 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Vaccinium Species: Composition and Activity
The genus Vaccinium L. (Ericaceae) includes more than 450 species, which grow mainly in cooler areas of the northern hemisphere. Vaccinium species have been used in the traditional medicine of different cultures and the berries are widely consumed as food. Indeed, Vaccinium supplements-based herbal medicine and functional food, mainly from V. myrtillus and V. macrocarpon, are used in Europe and North America. Biological studies support traditional uses since for many of Vaccinium components important biological functions have been described, including antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and endothelium protective activities. Vaccinium components, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, are widely recognized as modulators of cellular pathways involved in pathological conditions, thus indicating that Vaccinium may be an important source of bioactive molecules. 
  • 1.4K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Melatonin on NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a part of the innate immune system and responsible for the rapid identification and eradication of pathogenic microbes, metabolic stress products, reactive oxygen species, and other exogenous agents. NLRP3 inflammasome is overactivated in several neurodegenerative, cardiac, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases. Therefore, suppression of inflammasome activation is of utmost clinical importance. Melatonin is a ubiquitous hormone mainly produced in the pineal gland with circadian rhythm regulatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory functions. Melatonin is a natural product and safer than most chemicals to use for medicinal purposes. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have proved that melatonin alleviates NLRP3 inflammasome activity via various intracellular signaling pathways.
  • 1.0K
  • 07 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Pharmacological Interventions in Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a non-communicable disease of the brain that affects people of all ages. It is characterized by episodes of spontaneous and abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It is often accompanied by depression, anxiety, and substantially increased morbidity and mortality. A large number of third-generation antiepileptic drugs are available, but they have multiple side effects causing a decline in the quality of life. The inheritance and etiology of epilepsy are complex with multiple underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Different neurotransmitters play intricate functions to maintain the normal physiology of various neurons. 
  • 1.3K
  • 06 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Natural Products from Reniera Sponges
Reniera is one subgenus of Haliclona sponges and has a soft texture and brownish-maroon epidermis, and its body looks like a compressed tree with simple digitate branches and spicules of various sizes and harbors a special arrangement of the flagellated chambers in the incurrent and excurrent canal systems.
  • 875
  • 02 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Herbal Biomedicines for Dermatological Disorders
Herbal extracts and isolated plant compounds play an increasing role in the treatment of skin disorders and wounds. Several new herbal drugs, medicinal products and cosmetic products for the treatment of various skin conditions have been developed in recent years. 
  • 1.4K
  • 01 Jul 2021
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