Scalable solvent-free production of liposomes

Objectives. A major challenge faced with the manufacture of liposomes is the high volumes of organic solvents used and disposed of during manufacturing. Therefore, we have implemented an organic solvent-free production method for drug-loaded liposomes and demonstrated its applicability with both aqueous core loaded and bilayer loaded drugs. Methods. Liposomes were produced by high-shear mixing dry powder lipids with an aqueous buffer, followed by down-sizing using a Microfluidizer® processor. Liposomes were purified via tangential flow filtration and characterised in terms of size, polydispersity, zeta potential and drug loading. Key findings. Doxorubicin-loaded PEGylated liposomes can be manufactured using this solvent-free method with particle sizes of 100-110 nm, low PDI (