Marcus Caine
Biocompatibles UK Ltd, UK
Title: Profiling physiochemical properties of drug-eluting bead emulsions: in vitro design evaluation and clinical application
Biography
Biography: Marcus Caine
Abstract
The primary purpose of Trans-Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) is to restrict blood supply to hyper vascularised tumours whilst delivering a chemotherapeutic drug in a localised, consistent and efficacious regimen. Clinical opinion is divided regarding the primary mode of action: physical embolic or controlled drug release. Both the use of ethiodized oil emulsions mixed with doxorubicin (conventional cTACE) and ionically loaded Drug-Eluting Beads (DEB-TACE) provide proven clinical efficacy. Recent developments in emulsion stabilisation have posed the question of whether the safety of reduced systemic drug exposure provided by DEB could be combined with oil emulsions to provide a therapeutic benefit in patients. In a study conducted by Takayasu et al. n=11,030 patients treated with oil emulsions vs. emulsions and particulates presented an overall survival benefit in the particulate combination therapy[1]. This study evaluates novel radiopaque DEB in combination with oil emulsions using in vitro – in vivo flow distribution, drug release profiles and physiochemical stability. Bead-stabilised emulsions were easily prepared and doxorubicin loading into the DEB was rapid. In vitro DEB emulsions exhibited enhanced physical embolic abilities with slower drug elution kinetics vs. c-TACE. In vivo VX2 tumour model confirmed low systemic doxorubicin, anti-tumour activity and CT imaging at 7 days clearly showed oil droplets remaining throughout the liver lobe and targeted arteries filled with radiopaque beads. Fluroscopy in a porcine hepatic arterial and in vitro vascular flow model indicated comparible flow characteristics during administration to that of c-TACE.