Scale-Up Production of Theranostic Nanoparticles

This chapter summarizes the current preparation processes of various theranostic nanoparticles at a lab scale and the scaling-up methods, and the corresponding pilot plants of each nanoparticle production are discussed. The synthetic and purification methods for some current nanoparticle systems are listed. As examples for scaling-up processes, the construction for pilot plants for drug-loaded polymer nanoparticles based on emulsion-solvent diffusion and nanoprecipitation methods are introduced. In addition, the scale-up process for inorganic iron oxide nanoparticles are described. The parameters that need to be considered for scaling-up processes are listed and applied to the design of plant batches for theranostic nanoparticles. Of the many nanoparticles, polymer-assembled nanoparticles including polymer micelles and polymer nanoaggregates, gold nanoparticles, and iron oxide nanoparticles are selected as model nanoparticles because they have been used as major nanoparticles for theranostic applications. The plant design for each nanoparticle is suggested based on the synthetic and preparation process used for a lab-scale production. Considerations that can overcome the hurdles of theranostic nanoparticles for large-batch productions are also discussed.