Comparison between spray drying and freeze drying techniques for the preparation of microparticles for delivery via a dry powder inhaler to treat cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is the most common autosomal recessive disease that shortens life expectancy. According to studies, approximately 60 to 70% of adult patients are infected with P. aeruginosa. The current work explores the possibility of preparing microparticles using the spray-drying and freeze-drying methods and comparing the results obtained. A combination of ivacaftor and ciprofloxacin was loaded in microparticles of bovine serum albumin with Lleucine by the spray drying and freeze drying approaches to generate microparticles that could be delivered via a dry powder inhaler. The spray-dried microparticles had a particle size of 1.6 +/- 0.04 mu m with a polydispersity ratio of 0.33. They had a zeta potential of-27.3 +/- 1.1 mV. The mass median aerodynamic diameter of the spray-dried microparticles was 3.74 +/- 0.08 mu m. The freeze-dried microparticles had a particle size of 0.8175 +/- 5.6 mu m with a polydispersity ratio of 0.33. They had a zeta potential of-23.3 +/- 1.1 mV. The mass median aerodynamic diameter of the microparticles was 3.75 +/- 0.07 mu m. The microparticles produced by the spray-drying process were found to have better aerosol performance.