title: Multivesicular liposome formulations for the sustained delivery of interferon alpha-2b.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and optimize a sustained release multivesicular liposome (MVL) formulation of interferon (IFN) alpha-2b.
  
  
  METHODS
  IFN alpha-2b MVL were prepared using a typical double-emulsion procedure. The sustained release effects of IFN alpha-2b MVL were investigated by monitoring the blood IFN alpha-2b concentration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test after subcutaneous administration to healthy mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFN alpha-2b was successfully encapsulated in MVL with high efficiency, and the integrity of encapsulated protein was maintained. After subcutaneous injection, the MVL slowly released IFN alpha-2b into systemic circulation in a sustained manner. The estimated serum half-life of IFN alpha-2b was approximately 30 h. In addition, varying the size of the MVL preparations could further modify the in vivo release profile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN alpha-2b MVL may be a useful sustained release formulation in the clinical treatment of viral diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiao-hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing-wu
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008081:Liposomes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins