Professor Amal Ali Elkordy

I am Programme Leader for MSc Pharmaceutical and BioPharmaceutical Formulations. I teach the following topics across MPharm and MSc courses:

• Solid dosage forms such as tablets and their characterisation
• Techniques to enhance dissolution of hydrophobic drugs for example solid dispersion, liquisolid formulations and supercritical fluid technology
• Liposomes and niosomes as drug delivery systems
• Gene and polymer therapeutics
• Monoclonal antibody therapies
• Micro-calorimetry and its applications to study protein formulations

Current PhD students as Director of Studies:

• Dorcas Aly Uzim: The Formulation of a candidate protein drug via microencapsulation in niosomes and nanoparticles to preserve its bioactivity and integrity.
• Yaqeen Nadheer Albadri: Formulation and characterisation of mRNA using Liposome –RNA complex with or without cyclodextrins
• Mohammed Ahmed Altaee: Formulation and characterisation of liposome-RNA complex with hydrophilic polymers

Recently completed PhD students as Director of Studies:

• Mohamed Ahmed Attia: (Successfully passed his viva voce, October 2023). "Application of the microfluidic system for formulation of novel liposomal nanovesicles loaded with doxorubicin and natural antioxidants for anti-tumour synergism and formulation stabilisation"
• Ijeoma Annita Abraham: (Successfully completed, July 2023). "Effects of Beta cyclodextrin and Pluronic F-127 on stability of model proteins: Lysozyme, insulin and antibodies"
• Li Key Yeo: (Successfully completed, March 2022). "Evaluation of niosome formulations containing methylene blue and cinnarizine manufactured by thin film hydration and microfluidic methods"
• Ashraf Saleh: (Successfully completed, October 2020). "Dissolution enhancement of bendroflumethiazide, indapamide, and furosemide diuretics using solid dispersions and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems"
• Hassan Elsana: (February 2015 – July 2019). "Gene delivery systems of carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin in solution and liposomal forms"
• Safwan Abdel Rahim: (October 2013 – March 2018). “Preparation and characterisation of floating tablets to target the stomach”
• Hoda Javaheri: (February 2013 – October 2017). “Wet granulated liquisolid drug delivery systems with hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs”
• Muhammad Irfan Alam: (October 2013 – November 2016)."Formulations to protect some antibiotics from degradation in the stomach"
• Omar Abu Abed: (October 2013 – November 2016). "Preparation and evaluation of liquid and nanocapsule formulations containing biomolecules"
• Ammar Said Suliman: (October 2012 – July 2016). "Preparation and evaluation of different liquisolid compacts containing model hydrophobic drugs: norfloxacin and cinnarizine"
• Rita Haj Ahmad: (May 2009 – July 2013). "Effects of processing techniques and excipients on integrity and stability of protein formulations"

Recently completed PhD students as co-supervisor:

• Samuel Girgis: "Development of targeting strategies for metastatic cancer using nanoparticles"
• Dina Abed Bakhotmah: “Attempts to synthesis substituted quinolones as antibiotic targets using solid phase techniques”
• Md Nazim Uddin: "Nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles for glioblastoma"

Current PhD students as co-supervisor:

• Ibraheem AL-Qaraghuli: "Investigating the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids for the treatment of cutaneous diseases"
• Ahmed Sadeq Abdulhussein: "Development of fast disintegrating tablets (FDTs) and fast disintegrating films (FDF): comparison between conventional to new 3D methods"
• Amohammed Zidan Ambarek Alsabai: "Fast-dissolving formulations of levothyroxine to enhance its bioavailability"
• Yasir Jallawi Mahmod Karkar: "Development of 3D Printed Tablets Containing Thermolabile Drugs"
• Ali Amer: "Formulation, characterization, and evaluation of peptide niosome by applying spray drying after using thin film hydration method"

Previous Post Doctoral co-workers:

• Mohamed Ahmed Attia
• Li Key Yeo
• Inigo Rodriguez
• Amanda Solaiman
• Temidayo Olusanya

Awards for students:

• MPharm project student awarded a prize as one of the finalists in the MGR Award competition (2018) run by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Ltd UK for the project into fast disintegrating tablets.
• Omar Abu Abed, PhD student, awarded a Thermal Methods Group student bursary for the year 2015 for his research on proteins and micro-calorimerty (Abu Abed, O., Chaw, C.S., Carlile, M., Elkordy, A.A., 2015. Evaluating the effect of pH, buffer conditions, and excipients on conformational stability of trypsin) presented at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the RSC Thermal Methods Group, 30 March-1 April 2015, Churchill College Cambridge, UK.
• Safwan Abdel Rahim, PhD student, given a recommended poster award at the Science of Medicines Conference, 8-10 September 2014, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, for his submitted work: Abdel R.S., Elkordy, A.A., & Carter, P. (2014) Preparation of hydroxyethyl cellulose floating tablets of pentoxifylline as a model drug.
• MPharm project student given a commended poster award (2012) by GlaxoSmithKline for the project into influences of polymers on stability and bioactivity of spray and freeze-dried proteins.
• MPharm project student given a commended poster award (2012) by GlaxoSmithKline for the project into liquisolid formulations to enhance spironolactone dissolution.
• MPharm project student awarded a commended poster award (2011) by the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association and GlaxoSmithKline for her project into effects of cyclodextrins on stability of DNA.
• MPharm project student given a College of Mental Health Pharmacists (CMHP) undergraduate Pharmacy Bursary Award (2010) for pioneering research into gene delivery. This recognition was covered by the media, 2010.
• MPharm project student given a commended poster award (2010) by the British Pharmaceutical Students' Association and GlaxoSmithKline for a novel in-situ lyophilisation technique to enhance dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs.
• MPharm project student given a commended oral presentation award (2008) by the British Pharmaceutical Conference for a project looking at formulations of glibenclamide (an antidiabetic drug) microcrystals.

Research interests for potential research students

• Gene therapeutics and protein therapeutics
• Stabilisation of monoclonal antibodies
• Dissolution enhancement of hydrophobic drugs: via liquisolid technology and drying techniques with additives
• Targeted drug therapy and controlled drug release: via gastro-retentive formulations (e.g. effervescent floating tablets to target the stomach)
• Nanomedicines to enhance drug performance: via formulation of liposomal and niosomal drug delivery systems containing plasmid DNA, hydrophobic drugs, anti-infective drugs, or peptides
• Orodispersable tablet dosage forms

My research interests include:

• Formulation, stabilisation, and delivery of peptide, monoclonal antibody and protein drugs (using spray drying, freeze-drying and crystallisation technology).
• The dissolution enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs using liquisolid technology, liposomes, and polymeric micelles.
• Non-viral gene delivery systems.

My research aims are:

• To overcome challenges that pharmaceutical industries face with formulation of small and large drug molecules into suitable dosage forms for the ultimate aim of patient benefits.
• To disseminate the research results and outcomes via publications and conference presentations.

• Development of different tablet dosage forms to enhance, target and to sustain the dissolution of drugs
• Formulation of gene therapeutics
• Liposomal drug delivery systems
• Preparation and characterisation of stable protein and monoclonal antibody formulations. For my experience in this area, I have been driven to write a book on monoclonal antibodies for the following:

Monoclonal antibodies are our personal assistants. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no effective treatments for such a new and destructive disease. Unfortunately, this resulted in many people across the world who were infected with this virus suffering, even worse, losing their lives. Fortunately, some patients with mild to moderate infection managed to tolerate and recover from this disease via their immune systems fighting to remove the virus from the body. One of the ways the immune system accomplishes this is by producing natural weapons in response to infection.

These natural weapons are known as monoclonal antibodies, which serve the purpose of assisting the body in attacking external disease and threats to the body’s health. These monoclonal antibodies are very specific to target, in the case of the invading Covid-19 virus target particles, antibodies attack the virus and so block it from attacking the cells of the body and causing disease, therefore neutralising the threat, which is then cleared from the body.

Each person’s immune system differs from one another. Some people have immune systems that can naturally produce enough monoclonal antibodies to fight against a virus, however, some people cannot naturally produce enough monoclonal antibodies to fight against disease and infection, which allows the disease to progress to severe stages.

In February 2021, the Food and Drug Administration agency (FDA) authorised the emergency use of combined bamlanivimab and etesevimab therapy for patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 which reduced the risk of Covid-19 hospitalisation and hence prevented the risk of disease progression. This inspired me to edit and write a textbook on this hot topic, “Formulation of Monoclonal Antibody Therapies: From Lab to Market”, with the aim of benefiting students, academics, and scientists in understanding the field and the applications of monoclonal antibodies in this field.

Monoclonal antibodies are biological protein-based therapies. They are very complex drug molecules. There are many challenges associated with having them in suitable, effective, safe, and stable dosage forms. Although monoclonal antibodies are the most rapidly growing class of biological medicines, being complex with unique structural features means there are only a small number of approved monoclonal antibodies that can be used in clinics, and up until now, the injectable dosage form is the only available method of administration of these medicines.

This book gives insights based on literature into other possible non-invasive routes of administration for monoclonal antibodies, such as inhalation and transdermal routes. The textbook aims to enhance the knowledge of monoclonal antibodies, answering questions such as What are they? How can they be engineered in laboratories using living organisms? What is their mechanism of action for managing difficult-to-treat diseases such as cancer, infections, autoimmune diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, and most recently (in 2021), the FDA-approved monoclonal antibody that is being used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease?

Other questions this textbook aims to enhance the knowledge of include how their shelf lives can be extended? What are the most suitable types of packaging to keep them therapeutically effective? And what are the approved and marketed monoclonal antibody medicines and their clinical application? Each chapter of the book has co-author/s who contributed to the success of the completion of this textbook in a timely manner. For more information about my areas of expertise, please refer to my Google Scholar.

Invited speaker:

• Novel combinational nanomedicines to tackle psoriasis and breast cancer. Presented at the 10^th Annual Formulation & Drug Delivery Congress, Novotel London West, London, UK, 25–26 April 2024
• Floating and liposomal drug delivery systems to treat Helicobacter Pylori. Presented Virtually, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ninevah University, Iraq, 24 May 2023
• Analysis of monoclonal antibodies at Biologics 2023, London, UK, 30–31 March 2023
• Liposomes as gene therapeutics and as carriers to treat Helicobacter Pylori. Presented at Virtual Scientific Conference of Faculty of Pharmacy – Tanta University, Egypt, 10 – 11 October 2020
• Liposomal gene delivery systems using microfluidic technology
• Spray drying technology to facilitate Naproxen dissolution 
  Presented at EuroPPS 2017 conference, June 2017, Valencia, Spain
• Application of self-assembled polymers and surfactants in drug delivery
  Presented at the EMN Meeting on Hydrogel Materials 2017, 24–28 April 2017, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Keynote speech)
• Liposomal Drug Delivery Systems to Treat Helicobacter Pylori
  Presented at the '3^rd EPSRC EHDA Network Meeting', 6 September 2016. Premier Inn Hotel, Glasgow
• Is there a considerable need for biosimilars?
  Presented at 2^nd Annual Biosimilars and Biobetters Congress, 3–4 April 2014, London
• Evaluation of different Floating Tablets
• Folding reversibility of lysozyme in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone
  Presented at the 2^nd Central and Eastern European Conference on Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 27–30 August 2013, Vilnius, Lithuania
• Correlation of folding reversibility with biological activity: Lysozyme and Trysine in crystallised and dried forms
  Presented at TAC 2013 Conference Modern Thermal Methods from an Industrial and Academic Perspective, 9–10 April 2013, University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK
• Effects of drying technology and polymers on integrity and biological activity of proteins
  Presented at International Conference and Exhibition on Biowaivers and Biosimilars, 12 September 2012, San Antonio, USA
• Two in one: Liquisolid technique to prepare fast disintegrating compacts
  Presented at Target Meeting’s Second World drug discovery online conference, 16 October 2012
• Protein formulations: Challenges and solutions
  Presented at Target Meeting’s first World Drug Discovery online conference, 22 October 2011
• Cyclodextrin with pluronic as gene delivery systems
  Presented at BioConference Live, 22 March 2011
• Servants of Life: From Discovery to Delivery
  Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff (2009)
• Application of Microcalorimetry (High Sensitivity Differential Scanning Calorimetry) to Detect Protein Conformational Stability
  Presented at Applications of BioCalorimetry Conference (abc6), Heidelberg, Germany (2008)

Awards:

• Commended oral presentation award in the session of short talks on ‘New developments in the pharmaceutical sciences’, British Pharmaceutical Conference, 2004
• Commended poster award, British Pharmaceutical Conference, 2002

Membership of professional bodies:

• Member, Egyptian Pharmaceutical Society
• Member, Academic Pharmacy Group and Industrial Pharmacy Liaison Group of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
• Member, International Society of Lyophilization – Freeze Drying
• Member, UK and Ireland Controlled Release Society

Membership of external organisations:

• Fellow, Higher Education Academy (HEA)
• Advance HE, External Examiners Directory
• Included in Who's Who in the World (2010), 28th edition

Event organiser:

• EPSRC/EHDA Network event to explore pharmaceutical innovation, 3 February 2017, National Glass Centre, University of Sunderland.