- Info
PD Dr. Andrea Allmendinger
| Group Leader |  | | | | | | Mailing address: | Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy
Sonnenstrasse 5
D-79104 Freiburg i. Br. | | | | | | Email address: | Andrea Allmendinger | | LinkedIn Profile: | Andrea Allmendinger | | | | Research interest We are a growing, young, interdisciplinary team and closely connected to the Pharmaceutical Technology groups of Prof. Heerklotz and Prof. Süss. We believe that we can make a meaningful contribution to a sustainable tomorrow and, motivated by the 17 UN developmental goals, we would like to contribute to 'Good health and Well-being'. 
Our VisionWe are aiming for easing access to parenteral products including biologics, gene and cell therapeutics globally and particularly for global southern countries. Our MissionIn two focus groups for (A) biologics and (B) ATMP drug products (Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products, including cell therapeutics and nucleotide-based formulations), the research group focuses on enhancing stability of drug products by lyophilization and facilitating their delivery by the development of combination products. We are specifically working on parenteral drug product formulations, their delivery by injection devices, and the drug product manufacturing processes to enable and facilitate product access - in particular for countries with limited (medical) infrastructure. We are interested in freeze-dried mRNA therapeutics incorporated into lipid nanoparticles, and address three major challenges: (1) the cold chain; (2) aseptic product preparation before administration; and (3) cost of goods. Furthermore, using our internal cell culture capabilities, we are pursuing our goal towards long-term stabilization of cells at refrigerated rather than frozen storage conditions for application in allogenic cell therapies. While we do not optimize mRNA constructs nor cell production processes, we develop drug product solutions for parenteral delivery with adequate long-term stabilization collaborating with our international partners from academia and industry from Switzerland, Denmark, and Ireland. Open PositionsMaster studentWe are seeking a highly motivated Master student interested in studying mRNA or cell therapeutics. The candidate should have a Bachelor degree or equivalent in the area of Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related biology and chemical sciences. Previous experience in a laboratory setting is required. For fullest consideration, applicants should send (1) a cover letter with a brief statement of interests, and (2) a CV to: Andrea Allmendinger. Curriculum vitae Dr. Allmendinger
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Featured publications → Download complete list of publications
- Don't shake it! Mechanical stress testing of mRNA lipid nanoparticles. Ruppl A, Kiesewetter D, Strütt F, Köll-Weber M, Süss R, Allmendinger A. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2024, 198: 114265. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114265. PMID: 38492867
| - Characterization of Freezing Processes in Drug Substance Bottles by Ice Core Sampling. Peláez SS, Mahler HC, Vila PR, Huwyler J, Allmendinger A. AAPS PharmSciTech 2024, 25(5): 102, doi: 10.1208/s12249-024-02818-6. PMID: 38714592
| - Filling unit operation for biological drug products: Challenges and considerations. Adler A, Allmendinger A*. J Pharm Sci. 2023.
| - Liquid crystal phase formation and non-Newtonian behavior of oligonucleotide formulations. Farzan M, Ross A, Müller C, Allmendinger A*. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2022.
| - Metal-Induced Fatty Acid Particle Formation Resulting from Hydrolytic Polysorbate Degradation. Gregoritza K, Cai SK, Siketanc M, Woehr A, Lebouc V, Kishore RS, Nicoulin V, Bleher S, Allmendinger A. J Pharm Sci. 2022.
| - Opportunities in an Evolving Pharmaceutical Development Landscape: Product Differentiation of Biopharmaceutical Drug Products. Allmendinger A*. Pharmaceutical Research. 2021.
| - Glass leachables as a nucleation factor for free fatty acid particle formation in biopharmaceutical formulations. Allmendinger A*, Lebouc V, Bonati L, Woehr A, Kishore RSK, Abstiens K. J Pharm Sci. 2021 Oct: 110(2): 785-795. doi: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.09.050. PMID: 33035535
| - Comparison of Techniques to Control Ice Nucleation during Lyophilization. Luoma J, Ingham E, Lema Martinez C, Allmendinger A*. Processes. 2020 Nov; 8(11), 1439; doi:10.3390/pr8111439.
| - Tissue Resistance during Large-Volume Injections in Subcutaneous Tissue of Minipigs. Allmendinger A*, Fischer S. Pharm Res. 2020 Sept;37(10):184. doi: 10.1007/s11095-020-02906-9. PMID: 32888065
| - Excipients for Room Temperature Stable Freeze-Dried Monoclonal Antibody Formulations. Haeuser C, Goldbach P, Huwyler J, Friess W, Allmendinger A*. J Pharm Sci. 2020 Jan;109(1):807-817. doi: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.10.016. PMID: 31622600
| - Be Aggressive! Amorphous Excipients Enabling Single-Step Freeze-Drying of Monoclonal Antibody Formulations. Haeuser C, Goldbach P, Huwyler J, Friess W, Allmendinger A*. Pharmaceutics. 2019 Nov;11(11):616. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11110616 .PMID: 31744221
| - Impact of Vial Washing and Depyrogenation on Surface Properties and Delamination Risk of Glass Vials. Ditter D, Mahler HC, Gohlke L, Nieto A, Roehl H, Huwyler J, Wahl M, Allmendinger A*. Pharm Res. 2018 May;35(7):146. doi: 10.1007/s11095-018-2421-6. PMID:29796727
| - Solid-State Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry: Correlation of Deuterium Uptake and Long-Term Stability of Lyophilized Monoclonal Antibody Formulations. Moorthy BS, Zarraga IE, Kumar L, Walters BT, Goldbach P, Topp EM, Allmendinger A*. Mol Pharm. 2018 Jan;15(1):1-11. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b00504. PMID:29182876
| - Hanns-Christian Mahler and Andrea Allmendinger. Stability, Formulation, and Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals. In: Tristan Vaughan, Jane Osbourn, Bahija Jallal (Eds.), Protein Therapeutics. Methods and Principles in Medicinal Chemistry, Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2017. 469-49. Print ISBN:9783527340866. Online ISBN:9783527699124. doi: 10.1002/9783527699124
| - Measuring tissue back pressure - in vivo injection forces during subcutaneous injection. Allmendinger A, Mueller R, Schwarb E, Chipperfield M, Huwyler J, Mahler HC, Fischer S. Pharm Res. 2015 Jul; 32(7):2229-40. doi: 10.1007/s11095-014-1611-0. PMID: 25537343
| - Rheological characterization and injection forces of concentrated protein formulations: an alternative predictive model for non Newtonian solutions. Allmendinger A, Fischer S, Huwyler J, Mahler HC, Schwarb E, Zarraga IE, Mueller R. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2014 Jul; 87(2):318-28. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2014.01.009. PMID: 24560966
| Completed thesis - Yuen Li Butt (MSc, 2017) Controlled Nucleation during Lyophilisation of Protein Formulations
| | - Dominique Ditter (PhD, 2018) Interaction of Parenteral Drug Products with Surfaces of Glass Vials – Studies of Glass Delamination
| | - Christina Häuser (PhD, 2019) Investigation of lyophilized antibody formulations to enable short freeze-drying cycles and storage at room temperature
| | - Beatrice Drayer (BSc, 2023) Gefriertrocknung von Poly-A Lipid Nanopartikeln: Einfluss verschiedener Lyoprotektoren & Evaluierung der Robustheit des Herstellungsprozesses
| | - Dilara Ali (MSc, 2023) Impact of tubing material and properties used during the aseptic fill-finish process of biopharmaceutical drug products on VHP uptake
| | - Franziska Strütt (MSc, 2023) Stress testing of Poly(A)-Lipid nanoparticles
| | - Denis Kiesewetter (MSc, 2023) Shaking and freeze/thaw stress studies of mRNA-lipid nanoparticles
| | - Corinna Perez (MSc, 2024) Establishment of methodologies to study ready-to-use primary packaging material
| | - Sarah Pelaez (PhD, ongoing) Evaluation of freeze/thaw equipment in biopharmaceutical drug product manufacturing
| | - Anna Ruppl (PhD, ongoing) Formulation and process development of freeze-dried mRNA-lipid nanoparticles
| | - Dilara Ali (PhD, ongoing) Characterization of disposable consumables in biopharmaceutical drug product manufacturing
| | - Jari Acocella (MSc, ongoing) Characterization of ready-to-use syringes for intravitreal administration
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