Colon delivery is described as a potentially advantageous strategy for the therapy of local pathologies and the oral administration of peptides/proteins intended for systemic action. While the distal colon can even be targeted via the rectal route, proximal large bowel districts are only reached via oral adminstration. Based on this premises, the present delivery technology has been developed to provide oral time-controlled colon delivery.
The proposed colon delivery system consists of a single- (tablets, capsules) or multiple-unit (minitablets, pellets) drug core, coated with a hydrophilic swellable polymer that is able to delay the release for a programmable time period.

Innovative Aspects:
Externally, an enteric film is applied, so that the variability in gastric emptying time is overcome and time-dependent colon targeting can be pursued relying on the relative consistency in the small intestinal transit time of dosage forms. Proof-of-concept data confirming the suitability of this delivery platform for selectively releasing active compounds into the large bowel have been achieved through in vivo pharmacokinetic, ?-scintigraphic and pharmacoscintigraphic studies in healthy volunteers.

 

Patents/Rights: Patent(s) granted

Type of Organisation: