SweDeliver presents new method to calculate drug absorption in the colon

The possibility to swallow drugs is preferred by many patients and often has a positive effect on medical adherence. Still, oral drug delivery faces many challenges, but following the launch of SweDeliver, Uppsala University, in collaboration with fourteen industry partners, has advanced the boundaries of what is possible. Now the center presents its next scientific progress, as PhD Student Marco Tjakra introduces a new method to calculate drug absorption in the colon.

“Research has long been limited to studies primarily on pigs and dogs, which are associated with high costs and data that are rarely fully applicable to humans. In my doctoral project, we have established that the pig's colon is more closely related to humans, and consequently developed an artificial mucus similar to the human mucus that protects our colon from bacteria, among other things, but also makes drug absorption more difficult,” says Marco Tjakra, PhD Student at the Department of Pharmacy.

Unlike natural colon mucus that only exists in strictly limited quantities, this artificial mucus can be reproduced both simply and cost-effectively. A joint recipe ensures that individual differences between animals will not affect the results, and using 3D printers, the thickness of the mucus layer can be controlled in detail. This enables both mapping of particle movements in the mucus and calculation of drug concentrations in different parts of the body - while in parallel reducing the need for animal studies.

“Our results are ready to be applied and relevant in both academic and industrial research. We recently presented our work at a conference in Japan, which attracted great interest, and the method is already being used by, among others, the University of Tromsø. At the same time, our studies continue to open new doors, and we are currently preparing to adapt our mucus to both different ages and disease states.”

Marco Tjakra joined Uppsala University's research environment in Molecular Pharmaceuticals via the COLOTAN doctoral program. Through his supervisor Christel Bergström, Professor and Director of SweDeliver, Tjakra took an active role in the international competence center, which also provided the opportunity to a four months stay at Merck's laboratories in New Jersey with a focus on Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, PBPK.

“That I initially chose Uppsala was due to the university's reputation in the pharmaceutical sciences, and joining SweDeliver has added great value for both my research and professional development. The scientific exchange within the center adds important context, and having access to industry expertise and perspectives is a key success factor. Following my dissertation, I could definitely see myself staying in Uppsala, but as for now, I prefer to keep all professional doors open,” states Marco Tjakra.

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt