The
Hydrogel as a Buccal Delivery System
Controlled Therapeutics are developing their controlled
release polymer as a means to deliver drugs across the
buccal or gingival mucosa. Equally the system can be used
to deliver drugs locally to the mouth.
The advantages of buccal delivery over other routes are:
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Rapid
absorption and onset of action |
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Bypass
of first pass liver metabolism |
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Improved
and less variable bioavailability compared to transdermal
systems |
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The
potential for delivery of peptide molecules unsuitable
for the oral route |
The hydrogel polymer system is particularly well-suited
to buccal delivery because of its natural muco-adhesive
properties. The swelling and softening of the polymer
make it an effective and comfortable vehicle for oromucosal
delivery.
The hydrogel has been approved in the EU and the US for
delivery of an active pharmaceutical to the vaginal mucosa.
The Controlled Therapeutics hydrogel has undergone a range
of toxicity testing from in-vitro Ames test to 26 week
oral dosing in dogs. The results confirm that there are
no safety issues connected with the polymer for mucosal
delivery. Controlled Therapeutics believe that the hydrogel
is suitable for buccal delivery of a number of drugs.
A
patent has been filed for the application of the hydrogel
as a buccal delivery system.
Therapeutic
areas that are being actively studied are:
Other
areas that the company considers to be of potential
interest are:
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Migraine |
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Nicotine
Withdrawal |
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Epilepsy |
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Drug
Addiction |
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Small
Peptides |
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