The urgency to efficiently treat vaginal infections in an era of raising antimicrobial resistance opens paths for novel approaches, technological advances and better understanding of role of vaginal microbiota. These novel advanced technologies can be applied to develop superior treatments for improved reproductive health. To address the challanges, we have developed reliable and reproducible in vitro and ex vivo models that can assist in optimization of advanced drug delivery formulations destined for vaginal site.
Drug delivery for vaginal infections and reproductive health
Ž. Vanić, M. W. Jøraholmen and N. Škalko-Basnet (2021) Nanomedicines for the topical treatment of vulvovaginal infections: addressing the challenges of antimicrobial resistance, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 178, 113855. special issue Advances in Drug Delivery for Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.113855. invited reviewUnder a common goal of achieving efficient therapy of vaginal infections and diseases of reproductive tract, we focus on the following projects:
a) development of reliable in vitro models able to predict both qualitative and quantitative profiles of drugs or active molecules delivered to vaginal and cervical site considering the challenges drug/formulation will face in contact with mucosal surface to assist in formulation optimization (PI Eide Flaten)
b) optimization of ex vivo and cellular models following the 3Rs princples of limited use of animals in formulation development (PI Jøraholmen)
c) gaining insight on vaginal microbiota and the role of biofilms in health and disease through state-of-the-art methodologies (PI Obuobi)
d) development of advanced formulations for localized therapy of vaginal infections:
- utilizing liposomal epicatechins to treat fungal and bacterial infections (PI Jøraholmen)
- liposomes-in-chitosan hydrogels for safe and efficient localized vaginal therapy (PI Skalko-Basnet)
e) design and development of drug delivery systems for superior treatment of endometriosis and related conditions (PI Skalko-Basnet)
We appreciate continuous support of our international collaborators:
Professor Zeljka Vanic, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Associate Professor Alexandra Teleki, Uppsala University, Sweden
Professor Ganesh Acharya, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Professor Barbara Luppi, University of Bologna, Italy
Prof. Rachel Ee Pui Lai, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Selected publications:
M.W. Jøraholmen, P. Damdimopoulou, G. Acharya and N. Škalko-Basnet (2022)
Toxicity Assessment of Resveratrol Liposomes-in-hydrogel Delivery System by EpiVaginalTM Tissue Model. Pharmaceutics, Special Issue Novel Vaginal Drug Delivery Systems, https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14061295
Ž. Vanić, M.W. Jøraholmen and N. Škalko-Basnet (2021)
Nanomedicines for the topical treatment of vulvovaginal infections: addressing the challenges of antimicrobial resistance. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, invited review, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.113855
M.W. Jøraholmen, M. Johannessen, K. Gravningen, M. Puolakkainen, G. Acharya, P. Basnet and N. Škalko-Basnet (2020)
Liposomes-in-hydrogel delivery system enhances the potential of resveratrol in combating vaginal chlamydia infection. Pharmaceutics, Special Issue on Local Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Drug Delivery Systems, https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14061295
M. Falavigna, M. Pattacini, R. Wibel, F. Sonvico, N. Škalko-Basnet and G.E. Flaten (2020)
The vaginal-PVPA: a vaginal mucosa-mimicking in vitro permeation tool for evaluation of mucoadhesive formulations. Pharmaceutics, https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics12060568
Members:
Natasa Skalko Basnet (Principal investigator)
Gøril Eide Flaten
Marta Mantegna
Silje Mork
Sybil Akua Okyerewa Obuobi
May Wenche Bakke Jøraholmen
Financial/grant information:
We acknowledge the following funding bodies for their financial support for the projects focused on women's health so far:
Phospholipid Research Center Heidelberg (2009-2010) and (2016-2017)
Norske Kvinners Sanitetsforening (Norwegian Women's Public Health Association) (Grant number: H2/2012; 2012-2015)
Helse Nord (HNF1376-17; 2017-2019)