The retinol-loaded microneedles

Today’s cyclodextrin is about microneedles.

Cyclodextrins are emerging as valuable excipients in microneedle-based drug delivery systems due to their unique ability to form inclusion complexes with a wide range of therapeutic molecules, and the fact that such complexes can often form microneedles on their own.

By enhancing the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of drugs, cyclodextrins improve the efficiency of transdermal delivery through microneedles and can also facilitate the controlled release of active ingredients, offering a promising strategy for the delivery of poorly water-soluble compounds or sensitive biomolecules.

Incorporating cyclodextrins into microneedle matrices or coatings enables targeted, minimally invasive therapies with potential applications in vaccination, pain management, and chronic disease treatment.

And a recent, real-world example? Check out how Raphas is using CDs to stabilize retinol-loaded microneedles and achieve high transdermal delivery efficiency, thus maximizing the effect of retinol on wrinkle reduction.

Espacenet – US2025143986A1 COMPOSITION FOR MICRONEEDLE PREPARATION, COMPRISING CYCLODEXTRIN FOR RETINOL STABILIZATION, AND MICRONEEDLE PREPARED WITH SAME COMPOSITION

Three-dimensional printing kit for printing a colorless three-dimensional object

Today’s cyclodextrin is about 3D printing.

There are many papers and patents on the use of CDs in this technology. There is a recent one from HP, on a three-dimensional printing kit that includes a build material and an aqueous ultraviolet (UV) fusing agent. The aqueous UV fusing agent includes water in greater than 50 weight percent of the aqueous UV fusing agent and a UV absorber cyclodextrin complex.

Would you like to learn more about the possibilities of this field?

US20250115778 AQUEOUS ULTRAVIOLET FUSING AGENTS FOR COLORLESS THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTED PARTS

Selective removal of 7-ketocholesterol by a novel atherosclerosis therapeutic candidate reverts foam cells to a macrophage-like phenotype

Today’s cyclodextrin:

Say hello to Cyclarity Therapeutics‘s UDP-003, a promising new therapeutic that goes beyond managing atherosclerosis — it aims to reverse it by targeting one of its nastiest culprits: 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), a toxic oxidized form of cholesterol. 🧨🧬

Here’s what the science says:
🧼 UDP-003 selectively removes 7KC, a molecule notorious for turning immune cells into dysfunctional foam cells — the building blocks of atherosclerotic plaque
🔄 By clearing out 7KC, foam cells regain their phagocytic power and reduce harmful features like oxidative stress and lipid accumulation
🧲 The treatment downregulates CD47, a “don’t eat me” signal, and restores efferocytosis, helping clean up dead cells in plaques
🚽 7KC is not just neutralized — it’s flushed out via urine, suggesting effective systemic detox
✅ Preclinical safety looks good, and a Phase 1 clinical trial is already underway!

💡 Bottom line: By targeting the molecular root — not just the symptoms — of atherosclerosis, UDP-003 could become the first truly disease-modifying therapy for this global cardiovascular killer 🛡️❤️

Selective removal of 7-ketocholesterol by a novel atherosclerosis therapeutic candidate reverts foam cells to a macrophage-like phenotype – Atherosclerosis

Cydexa – for dry eye relief

Today’s cyclodextrin is about cyclodextrins and nutraceuticals, a specific application in particular: Cydexa – for dry eye relief

The following is claimed for the product:
“the Entrocoat Cyclodextrin Autoencapsulation Technology significantly enhances the effectiveness of Cydexa. This innovative technology encases Cydexa probiotics in a protective cyclodextrin coat, ensuring their survival through the digestive system and maintaining their potency until they reach the small and large intestines. Once released by Entrocoat, the Cydexa probiotics are further enhanced by the cyclodextrin core, which acts as a prebiotic, thereby enhancing their effectiveness for optimal gut health and aiding dry eye relief.”

We have not tested this product yet, and while the above is possible with CDs, it is certainly challenging.
1. CDs usually cannot protect products in the digestive system on their own.
2. The release from the CD cavity is rather difficult to control or extend

We will do some testing soon and share what we find.

In any case, the product does look super sexy 🙂

HPBCD will be dosed in patients with diabetic kidney disease in Q2 2025

Today’s cyclodextrin:
ZyVersa Therapeutics Inc.‘ Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 (HPBCD) will be dosed in patients with diabetic kidney disease in Q2 2025.

The first patient is expected to be treated in a phase 2a clinical trial in patients with DKD by the end of June of 2025. The intent of the study is to obtain renal patient proof-of-concept for VAR 200 prior to initiating a larger phase 2a/b for VAR 200’s lead indication, FSGS. The DKD study will evaluate VAR 200’s safety and efficacy (% change in proteinuria from baseline to week 12) in eight patients with type 2 diabetes who have diabetic kidney disease. This data will provide insights for designing the subsequent phase 2a/b FSGS study. The DKD study will be conducted at two clinical research sites.

I cannot wait to see how this goes!
ZyVersa Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Highlights Pipeline Progress :: ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.

Carbohydrate Chronicles Season 2 / Ep 3 Safety and toxicity

Today’s cyclodextrin is about its safety and toxicology.

Yet this one is not a reader, but a listener.

Lean back, tune in and learn:

– How dosage and route of administration impact cyclodextrin safety
– Key findings on oral, nasal, dermal, ocular, and intravenous applications
– Considerations for patients with kidney impairment and young children
– Insights from toxicology studies – what’s known, what’s uncertain

Carbohydrate Chronicles Season 2 / Ep 3 Safety and toxicity – CarboHyde

5-Fluorouracil-β-Cyclodextrin conjugates:Linker strategies to enhance the anticancer efficacy and reduce the side effects

Today’s cyclodextrin:
In the CD-world, CD-API conjugates received some attention, one candidate even reached clinics, yet most certainly, the true potential as an NCE or prodrug has not been explored.

Here is some encouragement, a case study on 5-flurouracil when tagged with BCD.

The results?
– superior antitumor activity
– reduced cytotoxicity towards normal cells
– slower elimination
– longer half-life

5-Fluorouracil-β-Cyclodextrin conjugates:Linker strategies to enhance the anticancer efficacy and reduce the side effects – ScienceDirect

Modulating fatty acid metabolism and composition of CHO cells by feeding high levels of fatty acids complexed using methyl-β-cyclodextrin

Today’s cyclodextrin is about fatty acid supplementation to cells.

In this study, Bradley Priem, Maciek Antoniewicz and colleagues from University of Michigan developed a robust method for supplementing fatty acids in CHO cultures using methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MBCD), and showed that the degree of saturation in CHO cell mass can be precisely tuned with tailored feeding strategies.

Using GC-MS and 13C tracing, we uncovered how supplemented fatty acids undergo elongation, desaturation, and β-oxidation—leading to striking changes in cell composition.

Fascinating work that paves the way for new feed media formulations containing fatty acids to optimize CHO cell physiology in industrial cell cultures.

Modulating fatty acid metabolism and composition of CHO cells by feeding high levels of fatty acids complexed using methyl-β-cyclodextrin – ScienceDirect

KLEPTOSE® F 7% – EXP beta-cyclodextrin

Today’s cyclodextrin is a recent innovation from Roquette.

KLEPTOSE® F 7% – EXP beta-cyclodextrin offers consistent particle size, low moisture (4-7%), and enhanced stability for moisture-sensitive APIs.
Designed for chewables, ODTs, and effervescent tablets, it ensures excellent tabletability and batch-to-batch consistency at high-speed compression.
Better stability, better performance.

And its directly compressible!

It seems a great product, there is only one thing I am not getting…
KLEPTOSE® F 7% – EXP β-cyclodextrin