论文和技术资料

Microencapsulation-based drug delivery has paved the way for the next generation of drug carrier systems that can deliver a therapeutic agent in a programmable fashion. In this method, therapeutic agent is encapsulated within a microparticle and delivered through hypodermic needles to the patient. Despite prevalence of this technique, delivery of microparticles through conventional hypodermic needles can be challenging. Geometry of conventional medical syringes is not optimized for transport of therapeutic microparticles. As such, particles can remain in the syringe even after full course of injection, leading to ineffective drug delivery. In this study, we have used COMSOL Multiphysics^® simulation software to develop a multiphysics model to capture transport of microparticles in a medical syringe. The model couples the CFD Module with the Particle Tracing Module. We then explore how certain parameters, important in drug delivery, can potentially influence transport of microparticles. Some of these parameters include initial distribution of particles, diameter of the syringe and particle material properties. We concluded that certain considerations should be made to obtain a high efficiency drug delivery to the patient. These should be made with regard to particle distribution and geometry of the syringe. Further, a syringe geometry that followed the pattern of streamlines provided improved particle delivery. Results of this study can have a wide range of application in design of drug delivery microparticles, micro-encapsulated cell implants, design of novel syringe geometries, as well as for clinical applications.