Christopher J. H. Porter

Christopher J.H. Porter
Other nameChris Porter
EducationUniversity of Nottingham (B.Pharm., Ph.D.)
Royal College of Pharmacy (MRCPharm)
OccupationPharmaceutical scientist
Scientific career
FieldsPharmaceutical Science
Drug Delivery
Drug Discovery
WorkplacesMonash University

Christopher J.H. Porter is a pharmaceutical scientist and academic with interests in drug discovery and development. He is a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor at Monash University, Australia, and director of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS). His research has focused on drug absorption and bioavailability, the benefits of targeting the lymphatic system, and the development of nanomedicines. His lab developed the Glyph lymph-targeting prodrug technology employed by Seaport Therapeutics.

Education and career

Porter completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Nottingham.[1] He moved to Australia and joined Monash University in 1992.[2] He later served as associate dean of research in the faculty.[1] He took up the position of director of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2017.[3] He was appointed a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor in 2024.[4]

Porter is a co-Chair of Melbourne Therapeutics, a Melbourne Biomedical Precinct group.[5] He is the Monash chair of the Research domain of PharmAlliance, a partnership between the pharmacy schools at Monash University, University College London, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill established in 2015.[6][7]

Research

Porter's research has focused on understanding the mechanisms of drug absorption and the formulation strategies employed to enhance absorption. A focus has been on drug absorption into the lymphatic system and the intestinal lymphatic transport of lipophilic compounds,[8][9] and the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs,[10] specifically on lipid-based formulations.[11]

Porter's work on the intestinal lymphatic transport of drugs has examined how lipophilic drugs and prodrugs are co-absorbed with dietary lipids, incorporated into lipoproteins such as chylomicrons during lipid digestion, and transported through the mesenteric lymphatic system, thereby providing a pathway that can reduce first-pass hepatic metabolism[12][13] and provide a strategy for delivering drugs to lymph-resident tissues to facilitate immune modulation.[14] His studies showed that conjugation to glyceride-mimetic structures to form prodrugs that mimic dietary triglycerides can significantly enhance intestinal lymphatic transport.[13] In particular, his research led to the development of triglyceride (TG)-mimetic lymph-directing prodrugs incorporating self-immolative linkers that enhance intestinal lymphatic transport while enabling the release of the parent drug,[15] a technology that was licensed to Seaport Therapeutics[16] and underpins the Glyph delivery technology that is employed in Seaport Therapeutics' clinical pipeline[17]

Porter also studied the use of lipids and lipidic excipients to improve the absorption of lipophilic drugs[18][19] and employed in vitro lipid digestion models, including modified pH-stat lipolysis assays, to predict the fate of drugs after lipolysis and to evaluate the in vitro performance of lipid-based formulations.[20][21] His group showed that lipase-mediated digestion of lipid formulations can generate transient supersaturation, a phenomenon associated with improved oral drug absorption.[22][23] He was one of the leaders of Lipid Formulation Classification System (LFCS) Consortium, which developed standardized methods for evaluating lipid-based drug delivery systems.[24][25] In a 2007 review in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery with Natalie Trevaskis and William Charman, he described the use of lipid-based formulations enhance oral bioavailability,[11] including the formation of colloidal species during digestion that promote drug solubilization and enhance intestinal absorption.[26]

Porter collaborated with Starpharma to develop PEGylated polylysine dendrimer-based drug delivery systems, resulting in patents related to the DEP drug delivery platform.[27][28] He also co-developed ionic liquid technologies that use lipophilic counter-ions to enhance drug solubility in lipid formulations, which were acquired by Capsugel.[29]

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "Biographies". Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress 2017, International Pharmaceutical Federation. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Prof. Christopher Porter". Lipid Formulation Classification System Consortium. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  3. ↑ "About the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences". Monash University. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Professor Chris Porter appointed Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor". Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  5. ↑ "MTx members". Melbourne Therapeutics. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Research". PharmAlliance. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Three of world's premier pharmacy schools form landmark alliance". UCL News. March 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  8. ↑ Lawless, Emma; Griffin, Brendan T.; O'Mahony, Aoife; O'Driscoll, Caitriona M. (2015). "Exploring the impact of drug properties on the extent of intestinal lymphatic transport - in vitro and in vivo studies". Pharmaceutical Research. 32 (5): 1817–1829. doi:10.1007/s11095-014-1578-x. PMID 25428258.
  9. ↑ Yáñez, Jaime A.; Wang, Stephen W.J.; Knemeyer, Ian W.; Wirth, Mark A.; Alton, Kevin B. (2011). "Intestinal lymphatic transport for drug delivery". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 63 (10–11): 923–942. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2011.05.019. PMC 7126116. PMID 21689702.
  10. ↑ Kohli, Kanchan; Chopra, Sunny; Dhar, Deepika; Arora, Saurabh; Khar, Roop K. (2010). "Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems: an approach to enhance oral bioavailability". Drug Discovery Today. 15 (21–22): 963. doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2010.08.007. ISSN 1878-5832. PMID 20727418.
  11. 1 2 Vithani, Kapilkumar; Goyanes, Alvaro; Jannin, Vincent; Basit, Abdul W.; Gaisford, Simon; Boyd, Ben J. (2018). "An Overview of 3D Printing Technologies for Soft Materials and Potential Opportunities for Lipid-based Drug Delivery Systems". Pharmaceutical Research. 36 (1): 4. doi:10.1007/s11095-018-2531-1. PMID 30406349.
  12. ↑ Paliwal, Rishi; Paliwal, Shivani Rai; Mishra, Neeraj; Mehta, Abhinav; Vyas, Suresh P. (2009). "Engineered chylomicron mimicking carrier emulsome for lymph targeted oral delivery of methotrexate". International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 380 (1–2): 187. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2009.06.026. PMID 19576973.
  13. 1 2 Zhang, Zichen; Lu, Yi; Qi, Jianping; Wu, Wei (2021). "An update on oral drug delivery via intestinal lymphatic transport". Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B. 11 (8): 2452, 2453, 2456. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2020.12.022. PMC 8424224. PMID 34522594.
  14. ↑ McCright, Jacob; Ramirez, Ann; Amosu, Mayowa; Sinha, Arnav; Bogseth, Amanda; Maisel, Katharina (2021). "Targeting the Gut Mucosal Immune System Using Nanomaterials". Pharmaceutics. 13 (11): 9. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13111755. PMC 8619927. PMID 34834170.
  15. ↑ "Lymph directing prodrugs". Google Patents. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Seaport Therapeutics Launches $100 Million Oversubscribed Series A Financing". Seaport Therapeutics. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  17. ↑ "New medicine piggybacks onto fat absorption pathways to allow oral delivery and support clinical trial in major depressive disorder". Monash University. 26 March 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  18. ↑ Savla, Ronak; Browne, Jeff; Plassat, Vincent; Wasan, Kishor M.; Wasan, Ellen K. (2017). "Review and analysis of FDA approved drugs using lipid-based formulations". Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. 43 (11): 1749. doi:10.1080/03639045.2017.1342654. PMID 28673096.
  19. ↑ Gonçalves, Raquel F.S.; Martins, Joana T.; Duarte, Catarina M.M.; Vicente, António A.; Pinheiro, Ana C. (2018). "Advances in nutraceutical delivery systems: From formulation design for bioavailability enhancement to efficacy and safety evaluation". Trends in Food Science & Technology. 78: 274. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2018.06.011. hdl:1822/55331.
  20. ↑ Pouton, Colin W. (2006). "Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs for oral administration: physicochemical and physiological issues and the lipid formulation classification system". European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Official Journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences. 29 (3–4): 285. doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2006.04.016. PMID 16815001.
  21. ↑ O'Dwyer, Patrick J.; Box, Karl J.; Koehl, Niklas J.; Bennett-Lenane, Harriet; Reppas, Christos; Holm, Rene; Kuentz, Martin; Griffin, Brendan T. (2020). "Novel Biphasic Lipolysis Method To Predict in Vivo Performance of Lipid-Based Formulations". Molecular Pharmaceutics. 17 (9): 3343, 3349, 3350. doi:10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00427. PMID 32787274.
  22. ↑ Boyd, Ben J.; Bergström, Christel A.S.; Vinarov, Zahari; Kuentz, Martin; Brouwers, Joachim; Augustijns, Patrick; Brandl, Martin; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas; Shrestha, Neha; Préat, Véronique; Müllertz, Anette; Bauer-Brandl, Annette; Jannin, Vincent (2019). "Successful oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs both depends on the intraluminal behavior of drugs and of appropriate advanced drug delivery systems". European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 137 104967: 6, 7. doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2019.104967. PMID 31252052.
  23. ↑ Ueda, Keisuke; Uchiyama, Riku; Kato, Nao; Higashi, Kenjirou; Moribe, Kunikazu (2025). "Mechanistic insights into drug supersaturation during lipid digestion in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems: A cryo-TEM and NMR study". International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 674 125425: 6. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125425. PMID 40032235.
  24. ↑ Williams, Hywel D.; Sassene, Philip; Kleberg, Karen; Bakala-N'Goma, Jean-Claude; Calderone, Marilyn; Jannin, Vincent; et al. (2012). "Toward the establishment of standardized in vitro tests for lipid-based formulations, part 1: method parameterization and comparison of in vitro digestion profiles across a range of representative formulations". Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 101 (9): 3360–3380. Bibcode:2012JPhmS.101.3360W. doi:10.1002/jps.23205. PMID 22644939.
  25. ↑ Williams, Hywel D.; Anby, Mette U.; Sassene, Philip; Kleberg, Karen; Bakala-N'Goma, Jean-Claude; Calderone, Marilyn; et al. (2012). "Toward the establishment of standardized in vitro tests for lipid-based formulations. 2. The effect of bile salt concentration and drug loading on the performance of type I, II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV formulations during in vitro digestion". Molecular Pharmaceutics. 9 (11): 3286–3300. doi:10.1021/mp300331z. PMID 23030411.
  26. ↑ Shrestha, Hina; Bala, Rajni; Arora, Sandeep (2014). "Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems". Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2014: 4. doi:10.1155/2014/801820. PMC 4590796. PMID 26556202.
  27. ↑ "Our Research". Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Modified macromolecule". Google Patents. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  29. ↑ "New drug delivery technology from MIPS acquired by Capsugel". Monash University. 12 January 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Past AAPS Award Recipients" (PDF). American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Monash Honour Roll". Monash University. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  32. ↑ "MIPS researcher honoured as Fellow". Monash University. 12 November 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Past Lists". Clarivate. 7 October 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  34. ↑ "APSA Honour Board". Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Outcomes of funding rounds". National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  36. ↑ "The Fellows of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute". Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
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