As published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers have developed an ultra-long-acting oral drug delivery device.
Orange County, CA - November 18th 2016 - Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston have created an expandable capsule able to deliver medication inside the body over a long period of time. Approximately 50% of patients don’t take medication as prescribed and failing to do so lessens the effectiveness of the drug. This ultra-long-lasting device would be able to stay in the body for a couple weeks, slowly releasing controlled doses of medication. This convenience would eliminate the need for patients to adhere to strict regimens.
The device was designed to endure the harsh conditions in the stomach. No previous pill has been able to withstand more than a day in the stomach, but the ultra-long-term drug delivery can last up to 10 to 15 days. The six point star shaped device is folded into a capsule and will unfold as it begins dissolving inside the stomach. The arms of the star, made of rigid polycaprolactone, store the doses of medication, as well as stop the stomach from passing the device. The arms remain intact for a couple weeks before dissolving and being passed through the body.
The basis of the device's development is prevention and treatment of Malaria. The disease, although having a multitude of effective therapies, remains a deadly endemic, particularly for those living in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. In an attempt to eradicate the disease and help those affected by it, a system of mass drug administration (MDA) has been implemented. To work, the majority of the population needs to maintain a specified drug-blood level, bringing the ultra-long-term drug delivery into play.
In the study, Ivermectin, a drug that kills mosquitos carrying the malaria virus and prevents the disease’s transmission, was administered to pigs that were then monitored to test blood-drug levels and gastric resistance.
Results displayed the ultra-long-term drug delivery had no signs of wear in the stomach, affect to the passage of food, or caused any harm internally. For over 10 days Ivermectin, the controlled medication used in the study-maintained the appropriate blood-drug ratio.
The drug-delivery device’s performance shows promise, as it can be applied to any drug or disease.
“This really opens the door to ultra-long-lasting oral systems, which could have an effect on all kinds of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or mental health disorders,” says Robert Langer, professor at MIT and a senior author of the paper. “There are a lot of exciting things this could someday enable.”
Read their study here.
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As published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers have developed an ultra-long-acting oral drug delivery device. Orange County, CA – November 18th 2016 – Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have created an expandable capsule able to deliver medication inside the body over a long period of time. Approximately 50% […]