Direct silica coating of drug crystals for ultra-high loading.

Abstract

To push the limit of synthetic control, we create a thin layer (5 nm) of silica on the surface of drug nanocrystals, achieving a loading content (88%) that approaches the theoretical limit. The uniform silica shell provides a tailored diffusion barrier for controlled drug release. The method can be generally applied to 11 organic crystals, including 4 drugs.