The design of nanoemulsions with a PEGylated surfactant for intestinal absorption of celecoxib

PhD defence by Ziwei Yu

Assessment Committee

Associate professor Stine Rønholt, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Dr Philip Sassene, Novo Nordisk
Associate professor Catherine Taylor Nordgård, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Supervisors

Professor Anette Müllertz
Associate Professor Jette Jacobsen

Department

Department of Pharmacy

Graduate Programme

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Place

The defence is conducted as a hybrid defence.

To attend the defence in person:
Building: Building 12, Room: Auditorium 1, room 12.1.104,
Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø

To attend the defence online:
Please follow the link to attend the defence online: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/j/69431809337?pwd=CZ0oEyX7EtlAybKx78Ae5iQ5dh2xfl.1
MeetingID, if relevant: 694 3180 9337
Password, if relevant: 123456

Email address to gain access to the thesis: ziwei.yu@sund.ku.dk.
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.
Recipients of copies of the thesis are not allowed to share or distribute it due to copyright compliance.

Short description of the thesis

Nanoemulsions (NE) can improve the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs, but their performance depends strongly on how they interact with the intestinal environment. This PhD thesis investigates how a PEGylated surfactant influences the behavior of celecoxib-loaded NE in the small intestine and colon. By combining formulation design with in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies, the work reveals how PEGylation affects NE properties, mucus permeation, drug release and lipolysis-related behavior, showing that more PEGylation is not necessarily better for drug absorption. The findings highlight the importance of the rational use of PEGylated surfactants in the design of effective oral nanoemulsion-based drug delivery systems.