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Jasmine PRO

IMPROVED DRUG DELIVERY BY NOVEL POLYMER TECHNOLOGY

Poly(jasmine lactone), a patent-protected polymer, provides a new solution for increasing the solubility of poorly soluble drugs and facilitates the development of targeted and controlled drug delivery formulations. The advantages of poly(jasmine lactone) are its competitive drug-loading capacity and its favorable structure enabling easy attachment of stimuli-sensitive linkers for fabrication of polymer-drug conjugates. 

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Application Areas

Poly(jasmine lactone) is a versatile polymer with three main application areas
Poor aqueous solubility is a common concern in drug development. Learn more about how poly(jasmine lactone) can increase the solubility of poorly soluble drugs.
Solubility Enhancement


Poor aqueous solubility is a common concern in drug development. Learn more about how poly(jasmine lactone) can increase the solubility of poorly soluble drugs.

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Targeting the drug to the disease site increases efficacy and decreases the toxicity. Easy-click chemistry of poly(jasmine lactone) enables the attachment of targeting linkers.
Targeted Drug Delivery


Targeting the drug to the disease site increases efficacy and decreases the toxicity. Easy-click chemistry of poly(jasmine lactone) enables the attachment of targeting linkers.

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Targeting the drug to the disease site increases efficacy and decreases the toxicity. Easy-click chemistry of poly(jasmine lactone) enables the attachment of targeting linkers.
Nanotechnology-Based Drug Delivery


Possibilities to incorporate advantages of nanoparticles in drug formulations.

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Jasmine PRO

Improved drug delivery is not a matter of science fiction

Jasmine PRO is an emerging Polymer Research Organization at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. In 2018, Kuldeep Bansal developed a novel polymer, poly(jasmine lactone), from monomers found in the jasmine flower to be used in advanced drug delivery.

Today at Jasmine PRO, our goal is to create a more efficient and effective way of delivering medication to patients, with the ultimate aim of improving patient outcomes. We are focused on improving existing pharmaceutical products as well as pipeline molecules and helping pharmaceutical companies solve their most challenging drug formulation problems.

We are on our journey as we strive to make a difference in the lives of patients around the world and to bring a technological breakthrough in the pharmaceutical field. 

Jasmine PRO is an emerging Polymer Research Organization at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. In 2018, Kuldeep Bansal developed a novel polymer, poly(jasmine lactone), from monomers found in the jasmine flower to be used in advanced drug delivery.
WHAT WE OFFER

Jasmine PRO will help improve the delivery of drugs

Poly(jasmine lactone) and its functionalities

Natural and Versatile

We have developed a novel drug delivery polymer that is derived from jasmine lactone, a natural compound found in jasmine flowers. We are on a mission to demonstrate that poly(jasmine lactone) possesses a potential to enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of drugs, decrease their adverse effects, and deliver them in a controlled and targeted manner.

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Enhancing Solubility

Poly (jasmine lactone) can aid the solubilizing of poorly soluble drugs by implementing micellar solubilization or by developing amorphous solid dispersions.

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Controlled and Targeted Drug Delivery

Poly(jasmine lactone) is a novel functional block copolymer with the ability to attach stimuli-sensitive and targeting ligands, forming polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs). These PDCs can provide highly targeted action by activation of the bound drug only in the desired localities, thus avoiding harmful side effects.

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WHY CHOOSE US

Poly(jasmine lactone) possesses several advantages

Patent-Protected

Patent granted in Finland for the synthesis and structure of poly(jasmine lactone). National patent application has been filed to the USA, Europe, and Japan (March 2022).

Patent ID: PCT/FI2020/050579

Safe

Cytotoxicity studies on mammalian cells suggests that the polymer is safe in working concentrations. Animal studies are currently ongoing to evaluate LD50 and other acute toxicity parameters.

Versatile

It offers endless functionalization possibilities due to the presence of double bonds on the polymer backbone.

THE TEAM

Our Visionary Team

Articles & Journals

Our Latest Publications

Learn more about our technology from peer-reviewed publications.

Functional Block Copolymer Micelles based on Poly (Jasmine Lactone) for Improving the Loading Efficiency of Weakly Basic Drugs

In this study, we used our novel amphiphilic block copolymer mPEG-b-PJL, made from renewable monomer feedstock and polyethylene glycol, to provide higher drug loading efficiency.
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Evaluation of Solubilizing Potential of Functional Poly(Jasmine Lactone) Micelles for Hydrophobic Drugs: A Comparison With Commercially Available Polymers

Evaluation of Solubilizing Potential of Functional Poly(Jasmine Lactone) Micelles for Hydrophobic Drugs: A Comparison With Commercially Available Polymers

Despite several solubilizing options on the market, high aqueous solubilization of poorly soluble drugs still remains a challenge to be overcome. With that objective in mind, we conducted a study where we compared the solubilization capacity of two commercially available polymers, i.e., Soluplus® and the amphiphilic block copolymer of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), mPEG-b-PLA, with that of poly(jasmine lactone)-based polymers.
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Significance of Polymers with “Allyl” Functionality in Biomedicine: An Emerging Class of Functional Polymers

Significance of Polymers with “Allyl” Functionality in Biomedicine: An Emerging Class of Functional Polymers

In this review article, we have highlighted the significance of a unique class of polymers called allyl-terminated polymers. Our polymer, poly(jasmine lactone), belongs to this group of functional polymers.
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Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Functional Polymers Derived from Renewable Jasmine Lactone for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery

Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Functional Polymers Derived from Renewable Jasmine Lactone for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery

In this paper, we have reported for the very first time the synthesis and one of the biomedical applications of our novel block copolymer (mPEG-b-PJL) made from renewable jasmine lactone, which has great potential to be used as a polymer in advanced drug delivery systems.
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Providing a new solution for solubility enhancement, targeted drug delivery, and nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery.

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Natural and Versatile

Polymers have been around for a long time in the pharmaceutical industry. They are used in drug delivery systems, i.e., they carry the medicine’s active ingredient inside the body along with them. However, there are several challenges when using polymers in drug delivery systems with respect to their biocompatibility, efficacy, toxicity, and stability.

As an answer to these challenges, we have developed a novel polymer for drug delivery that is derived from jasmine lactone, a natural compound found in jasmine flowers.

We are on a mission to demonstrate that poly(jasmine lactone) possesses a potential to enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of drugs, decrease their adverse effects, and deliver them in a controlled and targeted manner.

Poly(jasmine lactone) is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer. It is customizable due to the presence of double bonds on its backbone which allows for the addition of desirable functional groups altering the polymer to fit the needs of the drug.

Enhancing Solubility

Poly (jasmine lactone) can aid the solubilizing of poorly soluble drug by implementing micellar solubilization or by developing amorphous solid dispersions. Both to improve the solubility and consequently the bioavailability of even those drugs which are poorly water-soluble. The advantage of using poly(jasmine lactone) in solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs, is its tunable properties that can accommodate the properties of the drug and achieve industry-leading solubility enhancement capacity.

Controlled and Targeted Drug Delivery

Poly(jasmine lactone) is a novel functional block copolymer that self-assembles into smart nano-sized drug carriers that can be used to provide sustained release of therapeutic drugs. With the ability to attach stimuli-sensitive linkers, it can form polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs) which can provide highly targeted action by activation of the bound drug only at the desired localities, thus avoiding any harmful side effects. Linkers can potentially be tuned to get activated by endogenous as well as exogenous stimuli.

Functional Block Copolymer Micelles based on Poly (Jasmine Lactone) for Improving the Loading Efficiency of Weakly Basic Drugs


Polymeric micelles have been used and tested for drug delivery systems but they pose several challenges to work with optimal characteristics, one of those challenges is that they exhibit suboptimal drug loading efficiency with a lot of room for improvement.

In this study, we used our novel amphiphilic block copolymer mPEG-b-PJL, made from renewable monomer feedstock and polyethylene glycol, to provide higher drug loading efficiency. mPEG-b-PJL assembles itself into micelles, comprising a hydrophilic outer shell and an inner hydrophobic core. As nano-carriers of drug particles, they carry the water-insoluble, hydrophobic drugs inside their cores.

The aim was to show that the addition of functional groups on the backbone of copolymer mPEG-b-PJL directly influences the drug-loading capacity of the polymer. We were able to demonstrate exactly that, the addition of carboxyl functional groups (-COOH) on mPEG-b-PJL synthesizing mPEG-b-PJL-COOH increased the drug loading efficiency that reflected in higher EE% (encapsulation efficiency) and DC% (drug concentration) values for three basic drugs, i.e., carvedilol, sunitinib, and allopurinol. mPEG-b-PJL-COOH also enhanced the aqueous solubility of the mentioned drugs by many folds compared to Soluplus® and mPEG-b-PJL alone.

The improvement in the solubilization can be attributed to the interactive forces between the drug and the free functional group (-COOH) on the polymer. Moreover, in this study, the cytotoxicity of sunitinib-loaded polymeric micelles was measured, the hemolytic capacities of the polymers under study were evaluated, and the relation of pH and temperature alteration to their release kinetics was studied.

Published in RSC Advances in September 2022

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Evaluation of Solubilizing Potential of Functional Poly(Jasmine Lactone) Micelles for Hydrophobic Drugs: A Comparison With Commercially Available Polymers


With a number of polymers available in the pharmaceutical industry for improving drugs' aqueous solubility, polymeric micelles that achieves high aqueous solubilization still remains a challenge to be overcome. With that objective in mind, we conducted this study where we compared the solubilization capacity of two commercially available polymers, i.e., Soluplus® and the amphiphilic block copolymer of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), mPEG-b-PLA, with that of poly(jasmine lactone)-based polymers.

Poly(jasmine lactone) (PJL) has “ene” groups (double bonds) on its backbone and its amphiphilic derivative can form polymeric micelles with the active ingredient in its hydrophobic core. In this study, we added -COOH and benzene rings as functional groups to aid in the solubilization of the drugs. The resulting polymers were mPEG-b-PJL-COOH and mPEG-b-PJL-Phy where PJL stands for poly(jasmine lactone). The drugs under study were cinnarizine, clotrimazole, itraconazole, estradiol, fenofibrate, and danazol.

mPEG-b-PJL-COOH outperformed Soluplus® and mPEG-b-PLA by several folds for clotrimazole and cinnarizine. It increased cinnarizine’s solubility by around 39 and 16 times, respectively, and enhanced clotrimazole’s solubility by an astounding ~334 and ~18 folds as compared to Soluplus® and mPEG-b-PLA, respectively. An increase in the aqueous solubility of danazol and itraconazole was also observed and fenofibrate became more soluble with mPEG-b-PJL-Phy.

These results demonstrate that PJL-based polymers could potentially increase the bioavailability of a number of drugs as they possess a great solubilization potential.

Published in the International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials in July 2022

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Significance of Polymers with “Allyl” Functionality in Biomedicine: An Emerging Class of Functional Polymers


In this review article, we have highlighted the significance of a unique class of polymers called allyl-terminated polymers. In recent years, the use of polymers in drug delivery systems has grown exponentially due to their ability to be tailored according to specific needs. Allyl-terminated polymers have free functional groups with double bonds (allyl groups), which allow the insertion of a broad diversity of architectures and functionalities. They can be based on a variety of substances such as polyesters, polyether, poly(ester-anhydride)s, polysaccharides, diazoacetates, polystyrene, and polyethyleneimine (PEI).

The most common methods applied in order to synthesize allyl-terminated polymers from these compounds include
    ●     Ring-opening polymerization (ROP)
    ●     Anionic ring-opening polymerization
    ●     Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization
    ●     Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)
    ●     Condensation reactions

The resulting ‘allyl’ polymers can be further post-modified to include functional groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amine groups using thiol-ene click-reaction or thermal polymerization, epoxidation, bromination, dihydroxylation, reduction, oxidation, photo-induced crosslinking, grafting, and other addition reactions.

These post-functionalized ‘allyl’-terminated polymers can be of great potential in the biomedical field. The literature reports that these polymers have desirable properties to be used in advanced drug delivery systems.

At Jasmine PRO, we have developed a similar polymer, poly(jasmine lactone) from renewable feedstock jasmine lactone that is biodegradable, possesses exceptional solubility and efficacy-enhancing qualities, and can be used for controlled and targeted drug delivery.

Published in MDPI Pharmaceutics in April 2022

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Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Functional Polymers Derived from Renewable Jasmine Lactone for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery


In this paper, we have reported for the very first time the synthesis and one of the biomedical applications of our novel block copolymer (mPEG-b-PJL) made from renewable jasmine lactone, which has great potential to be used as a polymer in advanced drug delivery systems. This polymer was synthesized via ring-opening polymerization of jasmine lactone monomers. The resulting polymer has free “allyl” groups on its backbone which can be used to add functional groups via UV-mediated thiol-ene click chemistry. We demonstrated this concept practically in this study by adding three different functional groups to the copolymer; hydroxyl (-OH), carboxyl (-COOH), and amine (-NH2.HCl) groups.

One of the most useful potential features of this copolymer is that it can be used for stimuli-responsive drug delivery in cancer patients. This means reduced toxicity and more control over the release of therapeutic drugs. As an example, we took a cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and conjugated it with mPEG-b-PJL-OH with a bridge of stimuli-responsive disulfide linker to obtain the polymer-drug conjugate PJL-DOX, which assembled into nano-sized micelles. The stimuli to break the disulfide linkage was in this case glutathione and we tested the action of PJL-DOX on cancer cells which confirmed enhanced release of the drug DOX in the presence of stimuli (glutathione). Due to increased production of glutathione in cancer cells, this means that the drug would only act on the desired region, the tumor, and not elsewhere in the body, thus reducing unwanted side effects.

Published in Advanced Functional Materials in June 2021

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