The skin is an organ that often requires drug treatment to alleviate acute and chronic skin diseases. Furthermore, it is easily accessible for application of drugs, and thus also a site for administration of drugs aiming for systemic effects. However, the skin remains a formidable barrier and the delivery of drugs into and across the skin barrier is highly dependent on a number of factors in a complex way.

Considering this, the aim of the LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery is to contribute to an integrating knowledge on skin as a barrier for drug absorption, on the one hand, and the properties of drugs and excipients in specific drug delivery systems, on the other.

Through this, we aim to establish an internationally competitive research environment for cutaneous drug delivery research within a 10-year period, based on a predominantly physicochemical approach to develop methods for the rational development of novel and improved drug delivery systems for cutaneous and transcutaneous delivery of both small and large molecules. In doing so, investigations of "on-site" properties of the drug delivery system, taking into account effects in both healthy and impaired skin, play a central role.

With the main outset to build on a physicochemical basis, the Center aims to be clearly visible within the field of cutaneous drug delivery, and differentiated from approaches based on a more empirical development of delivery systems and on clinical work. This approach also allows the Center to be a pivotal point for collaborations with other research fields, ultimately coming together to tackle fundamental questions related to the delivery of drugs to and across the skin.

The LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery is made possible by a 10-year grant from the LEO Foundation.

Vision

Within a 10-year period, the LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery should be recognized as an international excellence center, performing state-of-the-art research and creating innovative solutions within cutaneous drug delivery, with a scientific platform built on integrative physicochemical approaches, including pharmaceutics, as well as novel opportunities in nanotechnology, advanced analytical methodologies, and biological models.

Mission

The mission of the LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery is to advance the field of cutaneous drug delivery through in-depth physichochemical research, embracing novel opportunities in advanced analytical tools, nanoparticular and other delivery systems, and novel biological model systems.

The Center strives to create and disseminate the newest knowledge on medicines for dermal use, thereby contributing to a solid foundation for the development of effective drug solutions to the skin for the benefit of patients.
The Center is furthermore dedicated to being a central contributor to research training of graduate and under-graduate students

The LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery is organized around three research pillars, identified as key for enabling its development:

i) novel analytical tools
ii) novel drug delivery systems
iii) novel biological models.

These pillars are combined with selected indication areas, initially focusing on infection/inflammation, to provide necessary depth to the research, including subsequent indication areas (skin cancer, vaccination) when Center growth allows this to be done without losing critical mass.

Another key element of the development of the Center is interfacing of Center activities with related activities within the Department of Pharmacy. In order to secure this, each pillar will be initially led by a senior staff scientist, who will also be PI for the area during the initial years.

Complementing this, we are currently recruiting three tenure-track Assistant Professors, each focusing on one of these research pillars. Within a 3-5 year period, these are expected to grow into PIs (2nd generation PIs) in their respective area.

In parallel, recruitment of PhD students and activities for Center growth by external funding are ongoing, and steps are taken for integration between the research activities in the three pillars, and between Center activities and activities at the Department of Pharmacy overall.

Research Organization Chart (pdf)

• Novel Analytical Tools
• Novel Drug Delivery Systems
• Novel Biological Models

Novel Analytical Tools

Regarding Novel Analytical Tools, developments in relation to large-scale facilities, notably synchrotron- (MAX IV) and neutron-based (ESS) methodologies are likely to form an internationally competitive experimental platform for soft matter research in the Øresund region, also providing opportunities to scientific collaborations in new constellations.

Considering this, as well as the capability of methods such as X-ray scattering/diffraction and neutron scattering/reflection to provide detailed information about structure and dynamics of formulation- and skin-related systems, connecting the research activities to such large-scale facilities represents a considerable opportunity for the Center.

In addition, there are additional technologies which offer novel opportunities in relation to cutaneous drug delivery research, such as confocal microscopies, various imaging modalities, and related techniques, as well as mass spectrometry-based analysis, allowing studies of the delivery systems themselves, but also of tissue penetration and metabolism.

Novel Drug Delivery Systems

Regarding Novel Drug Delivery Systems, large recent progress in the nanomaterials area have resulted in considerable current interest in such systems, and also provided novel opportunities within both drug delivery and diagnostics.

Both for more "traditional" nanomaterials, such as surfactant and polymer self-assemblies, and for more exploratory materials, such as various inorganic nanoparticles, recent research has illustrated opportunities to trigger both drug release and various biological responses by a range of parameters, including ionic strength, pH, and temperature, but also by reducing conditions/oxidative stress, and even presence of specific metabolites.

In addition, inorganic nanoparticles may be triggered by external fields such as light/NIR and magnetic fields, allowing simultaneous control of drug delivery and monitoring of therapeutic outcome in theranostic approaches. Again, therefore, embracing such developments is key for the success of the center.

Novel Biological Models

With regards to Novel Biological Models, traditional ex vivo models such as pig skin need to be complemented, e.g., with a battery of model systems for detailed mechanistic studies on transport of both active components and drug carriers.

Furthermore, complementary ex vivo models of healthy and impaired skin is needed, ideally disease-specific, as are corresponding in vivo models, e.g., combined with various techniques for imaging of biological responses. For the latter types of substrates, collaborations with suitable dermatology groups will be developed.