Evaluation of nano spray drying as a method for drying and formulation of therapeutic peptides and proteins

The high sensitivity of peptides and proteins to physicochemical stresses during processing and storage is the major hurdle against its pharmaceutical applications. Peptide-based drug formulations are commonly prepared as solid dosage forms because more stability can be achieved in the solid rather than in the liquid state (Ameri and Maa, 2006). The most common methods to increase the stability of peptides and proteins are drying and the use of stabilizing excipients (Maltesen and van de Weert, 2008). So far, spray drying and freeze drying are the most popular methods of drying peptides and protein solutions in the Pharmaceutical industry. Other drying methods, like spray coating, spray freeze drying (SFD), and supercritical fluid technology and their different modifications, are mostly used on a small scale, especially for research purposes (Franks et al., 1991; Marreto et al., 2006). The optimum choice of drying technique will depend mainly on the economics of drying and on the intended route of drug administration (Webb et al., 2002).