Post by Rebecca Rittersberger

🚀 I’m delighted to share our new in vitro study, recently published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X: “Inhalative polyclonal immunoglobulin G for the prevention of respiratory infections.” This publication represents a significant milestone in my PhD journey. 🎓 🧪 What it’s about: We explored the possibility of delivering IV-IgG (immunoglobulin G) directly to the lungs via a vibrating-mesh nebulizer. The goal: to assess whether inhaled IgG could remain structurally intact, retain its biological function, and effectively neutralize respiratory pathogens. 🔬 Key insights: 1. Nebulization with a modern device and an optimized formulation did not compromise IgG structure or activity. 2. The aerosolized IgG showed promising epithelial uptake as well as in vitro ADCP capacity, suggesting that inhaled delivery could offer effective local protection. 💉 Why it matters: This approach could open up a new preventive strategy for people who are immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk of respiratory infections. By delivering antibodies directly to where they are needed, we might improve protection while minimizing systemic exposure. 💊 Next steps: There’s work to be done — translating these findings into real-world use will require further in vivo studies, and ultimately clinical trials. But the concept is promising, and I’m excited by its potential. A big thank you to my co-authors Caroline Covini-Souris, Shruthi Kalgudde Gopal, Pramod Kumar, Franziska Voß, Janik Martin, Franziska Deuter, Gabriel Koslowski, Sophia Katharina Salcher, Marion Blayac, Andrej Murányi, Jonas Knoch, Otmar Schmid, Sven Hammerschmidt, and especially my supervisor Katharina Schindowski Zimmermann for making this possible. Your dedication, expertise, and constant support have made this project both deeply inspiring and immensely rewarding. I am equally grateful to those who, through their organizational support, helped make this achievement possible! I look forward to seeing how the research community responds and builds on these findings. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eXBDvA59 #Research #Immunology #RespiratoryHealth #InhalationTherapy #AntibodyTherapy