Version 2 2023-11-24, 00:21Version 2 2023-11-24, 00:21
Version 1 2023-11-22, 00:34Version 1 2023-11-22, 00:34
journal contribution
posted on 2023-11-24, 00:21authored byRolf Bech Kjeldsen, Mahdi Ghavami, Lasse Højlund
Eklund Thamdrup, Anja Boisen
Various types of
microfabricated devices have been proposed
for
overcoming the gastrointestinal (GI) challenges associated with oral
administration of pharmaceutical compounds. However, unidirectional
drug release in very close forced proximity to the intestinal wall
still appears to be an unresolved issue for many of these microdevices,
which typically show low drug absorption and thereby low bioavailabilities.
This work explores how recently developed and promising self-unfolding
foils (SUFs) can be magnetically and/or radiopaquely (M/R-) functionalized, by the addition
of BaSO4 or Fe3O4 nanoparticles,
for improving their applicability within oral drug delivery. Through
surface characterization, mechanical testing, and X-ray imaging, the (M/R-)SUFs are generally inspected
and their overall properties compared. Furthermore, R-SUFs are being
used in an in vivo rat X-ray imaging study, whereas in situ rat testing of MR-SUFs are attempted together with
an investigation of their general magnetic properties. Unfolding of
the R-SUF, and its very close forced proximity to the small intestine,
is very easily observed 2 h post-administration by applying both computed
tomography scanning and planar X-ray imaging. In addition, MR-SUFs
show a great magnetic response in water, which suggests the possibility
for controlled motion and retention in the GI tract. However, the
magnetic response does not seem strong enough for in situ rat testing, but most likely a strong magnetization of the MR-SUFs
using for example an impulse magnetizer can be made for increasing
the magnetic response. All of the results presented herein are highly
relevant and applicable for future usage of (M/R-)SUFs, as well as similar devices,
in pre-clinical studies and potential clinical trials.