• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Drug Delivery Business

  • Clinical Trials
  • Research & Development
  • Drug-Device Combinations
  • FDA
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Policy

Researchers develop bioresorbable capsule for treating hemophilia

November 28, 2016 By Sarah Faulkner

Researchers develop bioresorbable capsule for treating hemophiliaResearchers from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a biodegradable capsule to deliver a protein therapy for hemophilia. The research, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, could provide a cheaper, less painful alternative to injections or infusions.

The capsule contains micro and nanoparticles which carry a protein therapy to treat hemophilia B. The disease is caused by a missing or defective factor IX, a clotting protein, in the blood. Access to the protein therapy is limited due to its cost and the complications brought on by needle-based drug delivery.

The team’s work has been patented, building on a previous system for the oral delivery of human factor IX for hemophilia B patients. The new system is designed to take advantage of the body’s change in acid levels and enzymes inside the gastrointestinal tract. As the capsule moves through the body, it can resist a major gastric enzyme and stay intact while in the stomach. In the small intestine, the capsule swells as the acid level increases. The major intestinal enzyme then slowly degrades the capsule, releasing the drug over time.

“Based on the current capabilities of this system, approximately two capsules would be equivalent to one injection,” lead author Sarena Horava said in prepared remarks. “However, we anticipate that we will make further improvements to the delivery capacity of the oral delivery system and therefore decrease the capsule amount.”

The team said they will continue to test the system before moving into clinical trials, with an ultimate goal of FDA approval.

“While an oral delivery platform will be beneficial to all hemophilia B patients, patients in developing countries will benefit the most,” Horava added. “In many developing countries, the median life expectancy for hemophilia patients is 11 years due to the lack of access to treatment, but our new oral delivery of factor IX can now overcome these issues and improve the worldwide use of this therapy.”

Filed Under: Drug-Device Combinations, Featured, Nanoparticles, Research & Development Tagged With: University of Texas at Austin

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

  • Insulet hires new chief HR officer from J&J
  • Breakthrough T1D, Mattel debut Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes
  • Medtronic Diabetes names CFO with consumer experience ahead of separation
  • Diabeloop launches insulin delivery algorithm in Germany
  • GlucoModicum has positive data for needle-free CGM

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paul Clement says

    December 29, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    Although the cost of infusion ancillaries used in the administration of factor XI is a drawback in developing countries, these costs are minuscule in comparison to the cost of the factor IX itself, which is among the most expensive of drugs. This novel delivery system does nothing to address the cost of factor IX and will be of little benefit to people with hemophilia in developing countries..

Primary Sidebar

“ddb
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in drug delivery.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.

Footer

Drug Delivery Business News Logo

MassDevice Medical NETWORK

MassDevice
DeviceTalks
Medical Tubing + Extrusion
Medical Design & Outsourcing
MedTech100 Index
Drug Discovery & Development
Pharmaceutical Processing World
Medical Design Sourcing
R&D World

DRUG DELIVERY BUSINESS NEWS

Subscribe to Drug Delivery’s E-Newsletter
Advertise with us
About
Contact us
Privacy
Listen to our Weekly Podcasts

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy | RSS