Dutasteride, licensed as an oral medicine for the treatment of benign prostatic hypoplasia, has been investigated as a treatment for androgenic alopecia. In this study, the potential for dustasteride to be delivered topically in order to reduce systemic exposure, irritation of the skin, and also cytotoxicity was explored. Chitosan oligomer (CSO) was successfully synthesised with lauric acid as a coating for a dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (DST-NLCs) system. DST-NLCs were prepared using a combination of melt-dispersion and ultrasonication. These negatively charged NLCs (−18.0 mV) had a mean particle size of ~184 nm, which was not significantly increased (p > 0.05) when coated with lauric acid-chitosan oligomer (CSO-LA), whilst the surface charge changed to positive (+24.8 mV). The entrapment efficiency of DST-NLCs was 97%, and coated and uncoated preparations were physically stable for up to 180 days at 4–8 °C. The drug release was slower from DST-NLCs coated with CSO-LA than from uncoated NLCs, with no detectable drug permeation through full-thickness pig ear skin from either preparation. Considering the cytotoxicity, the IC₅₀ values for the DST-NLCs, coated and uncoated with CSO-LA were greater than for dutasteride alone (p < 0.05). DST-NLCs and empty NLCs coated with CSO-LA at 25 µM increased the cell proliferation compared to the control, and no skin irritation was observed when the DST-NLC formulations were tested using EpiDerm™. The cell and skin uptake studies of coated and uncoated NLCs incorporating the fluorescent marker Coumarin-6 showed the time-dependent uptake of Coumarin-6. Overall, the findings suggest that DST-NLCs coated with CSO-LA represent a promising formulation strategy for dutasteride delivery for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, with a reduced cytotoxicity compared to that of the drug alone and lower irritancy than an ethanolic solution of dutasteride.

Male pattern baldness (MPB) is a common condition that has a negative impact on the psycho-social health of many men. This study aims to engineer an alcohol-free formulation to cater for individuals who may have had allergic reactions to alcohol-based preparations. A lipid-based nanoparticle system composed of stearic and oleic acid (solid and liquid lipid) was used to deliver dutasteride (DST) for topical application. Two compositions, with oleic acid (Formulation A) and without (Formulation B), were compared to analyse the role of oleic acid as a potential active ingredient in addition to DST. DST-loaded LNP were prepared using the emulsification–ultrasonication method. All of the prepared formulations were spherical in shape in the nanometric size range (150–300 nm), with entrapment efficiencies of >75%. X-ray diffractograms revealed that DST exists in an amorphous form within the NLP matrices. The drug release behaviour from both LNP preparations displayed slow release of DST. Permeation studies through pig ear skin demonstrated that DST-LNP with oleic acid produced significantly lower permeation into the dermis compared to the formulation without oleic acid. These results suggest that the proposed formulation presents several characteristics which are novel, indicating its suitability for the dermal delivery of anti-androgenic molecules.

Collagen was previously derived from bovine and porcine sources, but its usage is restricted due to its expensive cost, halal issue, and potential allergic reaction. This work utilized the soluble acid collagen (ASC) method to extract bioactive collagen components from commercial jellyfish captured from the Port Klang area in Malaysia, and 20% collagen yield from jellyfish was successfully extracted (based on the wet weight basis). The jellyfish collagen was confirmed to be type II collagen, which is made up of one α and one β chain, as confirmed by the SDS-PAGE pattern. The molecular weight of the α chain was 140 kDa. The amino acid composition in jellyfish collagen was identical to chicken foot type II collagen. The transition temperature (T_max) of jellyfish collagen was obtained at 32°C, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy determines five significant collagen peaks: Amide A, Amide B, Amide I, Amide II, and Amide III, demonstrating the structure of jellyfish collagen. From the potential zeta study, the jellyfish collagen is stable up to pH nine, and the jellyfish collagen starts to denature at higher pH. Based on these findings, jellyfish collagen has a high potential to replace conventional bovine and porcine-based collagen as a sustainable and safer source of collagen for usage in various industries, especially in the nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals industries.

UTM's successful commercialisation efforts through its ICCubeX Incubator Program, which has facilitated the commercialisation of 18 innovations in 2022 and 17 in 2023, generated RM 12.84 million in revenue. This program bridges the gap between academic research and market needs by providing IP management, seed funding, training, shared facilities, and mentorship. By fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem, UTM has seen 355 patents granted, with an increasing trend in filings, including 44 patents in 2023, alongside 2,503 other IP filings. The program supports 27 active spin-off companies, emphasizing the importance of industry collaboration, mentorship, and promoting academic innovations for sustainable commercial success. To enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem and narrow the gap between universities and industries innovation and market placement, the incubator should facilitate regular impactful events with industries and enhancement of mentorship, skilled TTOs manager, and promote academic innovations with recognition to inspire a thriving entrepreneurial culture.