CPS® Technology: efficient delivery systems

Skin penetration is a useful tool in obtaining qualitative and/or quantitative information on how much of a drug, cosmetic substance or any chemical substance can penetrate the skin for cosmetic purposes or toxicological studies. The skin, particularly the stratum corneum, acts as an external barrier for topical applications. Studying the structure of the corneum layer is essential to understanding the skin’s barrier function.

Research is carried out through Galenic formulations for topical skin applications. Developments in this area are moving at a fast and exciting pace. Several parameters and formulation systems play a role in percutaneous penetration. The study of micro-emulsions and particles is an on-going field of research that seeks to explore and optimize their effects.

At Meditopic, we incorporate different delivery systems to optimize skin penetration and the release of active ingredients. These include liquid phase systems, liposomes, and the most advanced system to date, which directs capsules toward specific skin cells. The capsules make their way toward a cell in the same way we use a GPS system. This is why we decided to call the technology CPS (Cell Positioning System). This technology focuses the action exactly where it is needed, thus increasing the product’s efficacy and safety by controlling where the active ingredient goes.

The ingredients are enclosed in a double-layered polymer capsule, which constitutes the core of the CPS technology. The capsules have a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) or PGLA inner lining and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) outer layer. The capsule’s standard size ranges from 175 to 300 nanometers (220 nm on average), and its target is the cell interior where it releases the active ingredient.

Directing the capsules toward the target cell involves a peptide bond that is covalently linked to the capsule’s outer layer. This guides the capsule toward a specific receptor on the target cell, thus converting the entire structure into a smart delivery system.