Liposomal preparation by supercritical fluids technology

Abstract

Liposomes have been proved to be useful drug carriers in preclinical and clinical trials. Many methods of liposomal preparation have been developed, but there are still few methods that can completely remove the solvent when liposomes are used as drug carriers. Furthermore, most of the methods are not suitable for mass production. From 1970s, supercritical fluids technology (SCF) has been utilized in liposomal preparation because of its friendliness, nontoxicity to the environment and its possibility to achieve solvent-free liposomes and industrial-scale of liposome production under the conditions of current good manufacturing practice (cGMP). Therefore, SCF may become a dominant technology for the preparation of liposomes. Here, we reviewed and discussed the advancement of preparing liposomes by SCF.

Key words: Liposomal preparation, supercritical fluids, supercritical carbon dioxide, solvent free, industrial scale.