Meet the Queen of Cyclodextrins: A Masterclass Exam Success Story

news, Today's cyclodextrin, ,

Before Christmas, we presented the “exam” of the cyclodextrin masterclasses. The contestants competed online, facing 30 questions about cyclodextrins to find out who is the king of cyclodextrins.

Or the Queen, in this case.

Shima Kalantari Fard grabbed the throne at the very last question.

Not only were the event and all the masterclasses fun to deliver, but Shima’s message also warmed our hearts dearly:

“I would like to sincerely thank you, for the excellent masterclasses and for all the support you provide. The sessions were extremely valuable and truly enhanced my understanding of cyclodextrins.

I also wanted to share that I placed first in the online competition . It was a great experience, and it would not have been possible without the quality of the training and materials you provided.

Thank you again for your dedication, knowledge sharing, and continuous support. It is greatly appreciated.”

Formulation of cyclodextrins?

Today's cyclodextrin, drug discovery

They go (adeno) viral!

1. What Cyclodextrin Brings to Adenoviral Formulations
Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) helps stabilize adenoviral vectors by creating a protective environment around the particles, reducing aggregation and degradation.

2. Supporting Complex Purification Workflows
After multi-step purification—such as tangential flow filtration and two-step anion exchange chromatography—cyclodextrin helps maintain the integrity of the highly purified recombinant adenovirus.

3. Enhancing Stability in the Final Drug Product
In the final formulation buffer, HPβCD works alongside excipients like glycerol, sucrose, and polysorbate 80 to improve thermal and storage stability, helping the therapy remain potent over time.

4. Enabling Reliable Delivery of Gene Therapies
By protecting the viral capsid and improving overall formulation robustness, cyclodextrin plays a quiet but vital role in ensuring adenoviral gene therapies reach patients in their intended, effective form.

Minna Hassinen – Ferring Pharmaceuticals – congratulations on the fantastic work!

Espacenet – METHOD FOR THE PURIFICATION OF RECOMBINANT ADENOVIRUS VECTORS

Uses of cyclodextrin polymers.

Today's cyclodextrin, drug development

How about a case study now?From bacterial toxin to long-acting pain relief

Challenge: Chronic & neuropathic pain still largely rely on short-acting, addictive opioids.

Innovation: A β-cyclodextrin polymer that encapsulates mycolactone, turning an insoluble, UV-sensitive molecule into a stable, aqueous formulation.

Chemistry: Crosslinked β-CD forms multiple host–guest cavities, solubilising and protecting mycolactone without organic solvents.

Impact: In vivo, the pCD–mycolactone combo delivers strong, long-lasting analgesia from a single injection — a promising non-opioid alternative for difficult-to-treat pain.

Check out the patent in comments if you like the idea of Ruxandra Gref; Isabelle Marsollier and Estelle Marion. We do so!

Espacenet – LONG-ACTING PAIN-RELIEF FORMULATION

Would you like to design a similar polymer for you application? Let us know, we can help.

Training hard? Consider taking some ACD with your creatine

Today's cyclodextrin, Non-pharma applications,

Exciting research is emerging around α-cyclodextrin (ACD) and its potential role in supporting key aspects of athletic performance.

Traditionally recognized for its unique molecular structure and digestive benefits, ACD is now being explored for targeted applications in sports and human performance.

A recent invention highlights how formulations containing ACD may help support:
• Physical strength and endurance
• Reduced feelings of fatigue
• Improved exercise comfort through moderated heart-rate response
• A healthier gut environment, including the proliferation of Bacteroides uniformis, an important member of the intestinal microbiome

What makes ACD particularly compelling is its versatility, ease of oral administration, and favorable safety profile. The research suggests that consistent daily intake over a period of at least seven days may be key to unlocking these benefits.

As interest in microbiome-centric performance solutions grows, ACD is shaping up to be an intriguing candidate for future innovation in nutrition, wellness, and athletic optimization.

The intersection of gut health and performance continues to expand—and ACD may be one of the ingredients helping to bridge that gap.

carbohyde training

Cyclodextrins – 5 tips for formulators

Today's cyclodextrin, education, ,

1. Be informed about possibilities
The range of cyclodextrins you can use in pharma / nutra / cosmetic products are very different – always understand the full range that you can pick from

2. Check the administration route
The regulatory status – especially in pharma – of the CDs differs. Depending on the admin route you pick, the applicable CDs will be shortlisted

3. Focus on your purpose and the active
There are over a dozen technologies that you can use to create a cyclodextrin complex. Which one you pick should be driven by the characteristics of the active and further processing of the complex

4. Don’t think binary
Cyclodextrin complexation is a sensitive equilibrium that you can influence to your advantage. Many additives can stabilize the complex and help you achieve a higher encapsulation rate and a reduction of cyclodextrin content.

5. Optimize
Once you understand all the components, there are still many aspects of the formulation that favor the complex formation. Temperature, pH, and counterions may all play a crucial role here.

Let’s discuss the details so that you can create the best possible product.

CarboHyde

Sugammadex – Alfaxalone?

drug development,

Present: Sugammadex can be used to reverse rocuronium and similar NMBA.
The future: Alfaxalone?

This rat study shows that Sugammadex can reverse the anesthetic effects of alfaxalone.

Recovery speed from alfaxalone anesthesia is dependent upon sugammadex dose and sex.

Obviously, its not working as well as for the original target (Compared to saline controls, sugammadex shortened recovery times by 40%–60% following anesthesia induction) but the repurposing idea is nice.

What do you think? Can a scavenger like this be repurposed for other applications?

Use of Sugammadex to Reverse Alfaxalone Anesthesia in Rats – ScienceDirect

22nd International Cyclodextrin Symposium

news,

Moga, Punjab, India – ISF College of Pharmacy (An Autonomous College), Moga, is proud to announce that it will host the 22nd International Cyclodextrin Symposium (ICS22) from October 22-26, 2026. This marks a historic milestone as the first time this prestigious international symposium is being held in India.

The symposium, themed “Integrating Cyclodextrin and AI Techniques for Next-Generation Novel Drug Delivery Systems,” will bring together more than 500 leading scientists, researchers, academicians, and industry professionals from over 40 countries to discuss groundbreaking advances in cyclodextrin chemistry and its revolutionary applications in pharmaceutical sciences.

The symposium will cover diverse topics including:
# Cyclodextrin chemistry and characterization
# Novel drug delivery systems
# AI and machine learning in pharmaceutical formulation
# Nanotechnology applications
# Industrial perspectives and commercialization
# Regulatory aspects and quality control
# Clinical applications and case studies

When Cyclodextrin’s Two Homes Met in Kyoto

news, ,

Last week, Kyoto hosted the 12th Asian Cyclodextrin Conference, bringing together researchers, collaborators, and long-time friends from around the world — including several members of Bicyclos HEurope.

For us at CarboHyde, the event felt like a reunion between the two main “homes” of cyclodextrin science.
Japan has long been a cradle of CD innovation, while Hungary has become another strong home driving cyclodextrins toward new applications and industries. Seeing these two hubs reconnect in Kyoto was inspiring.

Our CSO, Milo Malanga, PhD, was also present — the smiling, chatty Italian in jeans who never misses the chance to ask a sharp question after each lecture. His presence helped spark new conversations and strengthen ongoing collaborations.

The conference offered what makes this community so special: solid science, meaningful dialogue, and friendships that push the field forward.

We return from Kyoto with renewed motivation — ready to turn last week’s ideas into future cyclodextrin innovations.

Connecting biotechnology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals

Today's cyclodextrin, ,

We at CarboHyde are proud to see our collaboration with Allbiom – Inteligência em Bioprocessos represented at the CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences!

The joint research presented by Lilian Pontes and Amanda Brandão, under the leadership of Dr. Ana Carolina Ré, beautifully demonstrates how cyclodextrins can serve as molecular bridges between agro- and pharma-biotechnology — enabling smarter delivery systems, modulation of microbial processes, and new bioproduction strategies.

This collaboration reflects CarboHyde’s mission to expand the application horizon of cyclodextrins beyond traditional boundaries — harnessing their supramolecular chemistry to open new routes in sustainable innovation.

A big thank you to our partners at Allbiom for their scientific excellence and inspiring teamwork. We’re excited to see where this synergy will lead next!

Are all SBECDs and HPBCDs created equal?

Today's cyclodextrin

Hardly.

That’s what you can also learn from this recent patent by Thorbjørn Terndrup Nielsen, Kim Lambertsen Larsen and Lars Wagner Städe form Aalborg University.

In the work they created some specially substituted CDs and compared their performance to commercial analogues.

Got curious which performed better? Let’s find out:

WO2025229196 PRIMARY SIDE MODIFIED SULFOALKYL ETHER- AND HYDROXYPROPYL-CYCLODEXTRINS, SYNTHESIS AND USE THEREOF