Successful sterile filtration of a squalane emulsion

Targeted drug delivery using particulate carriers enhances precise delivery of a pharmaceutical agent.  These particulate carriers are frequently found as emulsions.  In delivering drugs with an emulsion (and similar particulate suspensions), a new challenge has arisen, that of ensuring successful sterilizing filtration of the resulting particulate suspension.  For this work, eighteen filters were tested for bacterial retention, nine at 30 psid, six at 60 psid and three at 10 psid.  All tests showed complete retention of Brevundimonas diminuta (B. diminuta) by Pall Fluorodyne^® EX filters (P/N FTKEDF) when bacterial challenge tested with a squalane emulsion, without altering the particle size distribution of the emulsion micelles.