Tracking the effect of microspheres size on the drug release from a microsphere/sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) hybrid depot in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

The effects of particle size of microspheres on the drug release from a microsphere/sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) hybrid depot (m-SAIB) was investigated to develop a long-term sustained release drug delivery system with low burst release both in vitro and in vivo. A model drug, risperidone, was first encapsulated into PLGA microspheres with different particle sizes using conventional emulsification and membrane emulsification methods. The m-SAIB was prepared by dispersing the risperidone-microspheres in the SAIB depot. The drug release from m-SAIB was double controlled by the drug diffusion from the microspheres into SAIB matrix and the drug diffusion from the SAIB matrix into the medium. Large microspheres (18.95 ± 18.88 µm) prepared by the conventional homogenization method exhibited porous interior structure, which contributed to the increased drug diffusion rate from microspheres into SAIB matrix. Consequently, m-SAIB containing such microspheres showed rapid initial drug release (Cmax = 110.1 ±54.2 ng/ml) and subsequent slow drug release (Cs(4–54d)= 2.7 ± 0.8 ng/ml) in vivo. Small microspheres (5.91 ± 2.24 µm) showed dense interior structure with a decreased drug diffusion rate from microspheres into SAIB matrix. The initial drug release from the corresponding m-SAIB was significantly decreased (Cmax = 40.9 ± 13.7 ng/ml), whereas the drug release rate from 4 to 54 d was increased (Cs(4–54d)=4.1 ± 1.0 ng/ml). By further decreasing the size of microspheres to 3.38 ± 0.70 µm, the drug diffusion surface area was increased, which subsequently increased the drug release from the m-SAIB. These results demonstrate that drug release from the m-SAIB can be tailored by varying the size of microspheres to reduce the in vivo burst release of SAIB system alone.