The CITHEFOR research unit, focused on an integrated approach of pharmaceutical development, offers innovative drug formulations (nano/microparticles, hydrogels, etc.) and advanced therapy medicinal products (derived from human cells and matrices) for the controlled release of fragile active ingredients.

The research unit focuses on the crossing, protection or restoration of tissue barrier functions, in the context of inflammatory and ischemic cardiovascular pathologies and tissue (re)vascularization. CITHEFOR's strategy is based on a pharmaceutical R&D approach including quality control, optimized processes and industrial/clinical scale-up, and compliance with usage and regulatory constraints, while:

• pooling our expertise in the formulation and pharmacological evaluation of biomedicines, as well as their formulation excipients, of plant or human origin, and their active ingredients in complex mixtures modulating inflammation, vasoreactivity, angiogenesis and cell recruitment through chemotaxis;
• proposing a definition based on Pharmacopoeia standards and an integrated characterization (in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo) of the properties of the active ingredients and biomaterials developed;
• proposing co-administration/co-encapsulation of active ingredients, as well as new delivery routes in the form of functionalized 3D networks for barrier crossing and tissue regeneration.