Latest news with #RobertLanger
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PODD Drug Delivery Conference Announces 2025 Keynotes
The Conference Forum announces the 15th annual PODD Drug Delivery Conference's 2025 keynotes NEW YORK, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, PODD: Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery conference announced the keynotes for its 15th annual conference which takes place on October 27-28 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, MA. "In presenting a strategic-level program for R&D scientists and business development professionals, the PODD Conference is committed to securing keynotes who demonstrate excellence in science," said Andrew Goldstein, Senior Conference Producer for the PODD Conference. The PODD 2025 keynotes include: MIT's Dr Robert Langer, a pioneer in the research and development of drug delivery technology, will return as the Annual Keynote to discuss the state of innovation in the drug delivery industry. Dr Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, Novo Nordisk's Chief Scientific Advisor who drove the development of GLP-1 drugs for obesity will present on the liraglutide and semaglutide story, her approach to scientific development and where drug delivery intersects with her R&D work. Patient Keynote Jimi Olaghere will share his journey as a patient with sickle cell disease before and after receiving CASGEVY, a CRISPR-based therapy, and his mission to make these therapies more accessible for patients globally. Dr Mansoor Amiji, University Distinguished Professor, Northwestern University, will join the PODD Conference as the Endogenous Delivery Zeitgeist. Dr Amiji will present on endogenous targeted delivery strategies to overcome biological barriers and improve efficacy and safety. The PODD speaking faculty includes over 100 executives from both the drug development and delivery industries with over 125 session choices including a full afternoon of drug delivery presentations from established to start-up companies. To learn more about the event, visit About the PODD: Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery ConferencePharma, biotech and the drug delivery industries gather annually at PODD to assess delivery needs, latest trends and information on deals, and learn about a wide range of innovative drug delivery technologies that could improve the delivery of various types of drugs. This can include proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, biologics, small molecules and more. PODD provides business development opportunities through organized networking and a partnering tool for new, emerging and established collaborations. About the Conference ForumThe Conference Forum is a life science industry research firm that develops conferences, podcasts, newsletters and webinars primarily around how to get therapeutics to patients faster. They examine and challenge the complex ecosystem of drug development and delivery, bringing ideas together from a variety of sources to help advance clinical research with common goals that are patient-focused. They are committed to creating the best content, promoting the exchange of ideas and solutions among peers, and providing high-quality networking. Learn more about the Conference Forum at For media inquiries, contact:Bre Bugbee-Barrettbre@ View original content: SOURCE Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery (PODD)
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scared of injections? Polymer microparticles put an end to multiple vaccine jabs
Scientists in the U.S. have developed polymer microparticles that can release vaccines at specific times after injection, sometimes even months later, potentially removing the need for multiple separate shots. In an effort to improve immunization rates among the 20 percent of children who remain unprotected worldwide, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed a method that allows multiple vaccine doses to be delivered from a single injection, with each dose released at different intervals. The groundbreaking solution, created under the leadership of Ana Jaklenec, PhD, and Robert Langer, PhD, of MIT's Koch Institute, could help prevent 1.5 million child deaths each year from diseases that could be avoided with proper vaccination. As per the study, these particles were able to deliver two doses of the diphtheria vaccine, one immediately and the other after two weeks, with tests on mice showing antibody levels comparable to those in mice that received two separate injections spaced two weeks apart. Now aiming to extend the release intervals, the team believes these particles could be ideal for delivering childhood vaccines that require multiple doses over several months, such as the polio vaccine. Back in 2018, the team proved that vaccine delivery PLGA-based particles could release two doses of the polio vaccine 25 days apart. However, one of PLGA's drawbacks was that as the particles gradually degrade inside the body, they can generate an acidic environment that can potentially degrade the vaccine they carry. Led by Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, PhD, a chemical engineering graduate from MIT, the research focused on overcoming this issue while exploring a biodegradable, hydrophobic polymer, known as polyanhydride, which has the potential to better protect the vaccine. According to the researchers, polyanhydrides gradually break down inside the body, but unlike other materials, their byproducts barely dissolve in water. This results in a much more stable and less acidic environment. This prompted the team to develop a library of 23 different polymers, which they then evaluated based on their ability to remain stable at temperatures of at least 104 degrees Fahrenheit. They additionally assessed whether the polymers could remain stable throughout the process required to form them into microparticles. For the particles, the team developed a process called stamped assembly of polymer layers, or SEAL. They first used silicon molds to create cup-shaped particles filled with the vaccine antigen, then sealed them with a heat-applied polymer cap. Polymers that were too brittle or failed to seal properly were excluded, leaving six top candidates. Using these polymers, the scientists then made particles that delivered an immediate dose of the diphtheria vaccine to mice, followed by a second one two weeks later. And they were stunned when, four weeks later, the mice developed antibody levels nearly identical to those given two separate injections two weeks apart. For the study, the team also developed a machine learning model to investigate the key factors that influence how quickly the particles degrade inside the body. These included the type of monomers that go into the material, the monomers' ratio, the polymer's molecular weight, and the loading capacity or how much vaccine can go into the particle. The model helped them quickly evaluate nearly 500 possible particles and predict their release timelines. By testing several of these in controlled buffer solutions, they confirmed that the model's predictions were accurate. "If we want to extend this to longer time points, let's say over a month or even further, we definitely have some ways to do this, such as increasing the molecular weight or the hydrophobicity of the polymer," Zhang highlighted. "We can also potentially do some cross-linking." According to Zhang, these further modifications to the polymer's chemistry could slow down the release kinetics or extend the particle's retention time in the body. The team now hopes to assess the potential of these delivery particles for other vaccine types. They could also prove useful for delivering other types of drugs that are sensitive to acidity and need to be given in multiple doses, they say. "This technology has broad potential for single-injection vaccines, but it could also be adapted to deliver small molecules or other biologics that require durability or multiple doses," Jaklenec concludes in a press release. "Additionally, it can accommodate drugs with pH sensitivities." The research has been published in the journal Advanced Materials.
