SweDeliver launches new method for calculating bioavailability of biologic drugs

Biologic drugs provide important therapeutic options in the treatment of, for example, diabetes, severe obesity and certain cancers. Because they consist of proteins and peptides that are readily degraded in the gastrointestinal tract, oral administration is challenging, making injection an attractive route of administration that patients can perform themselves. This creates a need for effective methods to predict how potential drugs behave in the body, and in her thesis, Julia Parlow presents an in vitro model that offers a more precise alternative than previously available tools.

“In our work, we have used hydrogels composed of collagen and hyaluronic acid. Using microscopy and FRAP techniques, we have mapped how drugs interact and are absorbed in an environment similar to that found beneath human skin. Comparative studies confirm that our method generates reliable data, which reduces the need for animal studies and provides a novel way to assess the bioavailability of potential drugs at a preclinical stage,” says Julia Parlow, PhD student at SweDeliver and Uppsala University’s Department of Medicinal Chemistry.

The model is already being used within the university’s Pharmaceutical Physical Chemistry research environment, where the team has found that drug behavior in a biorelevant environment is influenced by molecular size, charge and protein binding. The results also indicate that albumin – a common protein in interstitial fluid – can increase molecular mobility, an observation that is currently being investigated further by Anton Norberg, also a PhD student at SweDeliver.

“Our publications receive wide dissemination and generate substantial interest. We are currently in dialogue with several research groups preparing to implement the model in their own work. Through our involvement in the international competence center SweDeliver, we see that our method is welcomed by the pharmaceutical industry as a valuable tool for early-stage decision-making on whether a project has the potential to progress to the clinic,” says Julia Parlow.

As a SweDeliver PhD student, Julia Parlow has carried out her research in close collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry, including a co-supervisor, Helen Sjögren, at Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Julia emphasizes that this has been an invaluable setup, in which academic theories are complemented by industrially relevant perspectives. However, the years at the competence center have also provided many other important experiences on the path toward her dissertation.

“For me, SweDeliver is characterized by interdisciplinary openness, inclusive discussions and remarkable generosity. It has given me access to far more extensive networks, infrastructure and expertise than a junior researcher could normally expect. This has, in turn, increased my curiosity about industry, and I am currently in contact with several companies regarding a role in pharmaceutical development, while still keeping all professional options open.”

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt a o