Development of a non-toxic and water-soluble material suitable to produce capsules for drug delivery in the zootechnical field.
Development of a non-toxic and water-soluble material suitable to produce capsules for drug delivery in the zootechnical field.
The customer turned to our laboratory with the idea of replacing and improving the material of his own product aimed at carrying drugs in large animals. The traditional product used until now is not resorbed as a normal antibiotic capsule but was rejected over time by the animal.
The requirements with which we had to deal, and which had to be taken into account were the following:
- Resistance for at least 20 days in the stomach of the animal: precise pH and temperature conditions were provided.
- The formula had to contain ingredients that were safe for the animal.
- The material had to be able to disappear once it had fulfilled its function.
- The material had to be machinable from the same production chain, then with the injection molding technique.
The project was segmented into several phases:
- Bibliographic research: Initially, extensive research was carried out on scientific literature to identify the most suitable raw materials and additives to obtain the desired material with the required characteristics. Within this phase, LMPE used a Veterinary Professor at the University of Teramo who verified the safety of the materials on the animal.
- Development of formulations and sample making: Based on the information gathered, various potentially suitable formulations have been made, obtaining materials in the form of granules. These were then subjected to thermal and chemical analysis to ascertain their properties. Finally, promising formulations were printed by the customer.
- Laboratory test: the samples obtained have been tested in the laboratory to measure their mechanical resistance and evaluate their resistance under simulated gastric conditions.
- In-vivo testing: the best samples were passed to an in-vivo test, carried out in collaboration with the University, which identified the final material capable of meeting all customer needs.
In conclusion, the methodological approach adopted has led to the selection of the final material capable of responding to all the specific requests of the customer, providing a safe and effective product for the transport of drugs in the animals in question.
