A more efficient technology for oromucosal drug delivery
The project SAFE Patch recently received 1.5 mill DKK from the Innovation Fund Denmark’s InnoExplorer program to explore and develop the new “SAFE Patch” technology and bring it closer to commercialization. Postdoc Mai Bay Stie is project leader and the project will be conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Natalja Genina, Professor Hanne Mørck Nielsen, clinicians and business advisors.
The innovation behind “SAFE Patch – A Self-Adhesive, Flexible and Effective Patch Technology for drug delivery” is developed
from research conducted at the Department of Pharmacy by the aforementioned team and Professor Jukka Rantanen, Associate Professor Jette Jacobsen, PhD student Cristiana Cunha and former PhD student Heidi Õblom. PCT patent application was filed for the invention in April 2022.
SAFE Patch is a new technology that achieves creates a very efficient oral drug delivery and is easy to use for patients because, in contrast to traditional tablets and capsules, access to water and swallowing of the dosage form is not required.
Due to the combination of strong mucoadhesive properties and unidirectional drug release towards the mucosa, loss of drug is
minimized and drug absorption is enhanced by the maintenance of a high concentration gradient of drug at the mucosal surface.
The SAFE Patch concept
SAFE Patch is a self-adhesive, flexible and effective patch technology that enables effective mucosal delivery of drugs. The SAFE Patch technology consists of three layers: mucoadhesive electrospun nanofibers, porous intermediate layer for high drug loading and a saliva-repelling backing-film.
SAFE Patch is based on biocompatible excipients ready for clinical translation and is produced under simple and mild production conditions, so it is ready for industrial scale up. The invention allows a high drug loading and a tuned drug release, and it is flexible enough to bend to the curved surfaces of the oral cavity, yet mechanically strong for easy handling.
It adheres strongly to the oral mucosa, prolonging the retention time at the site of application for enhanced absorption of drug and the patient can take it with no liquid and it does not require swallowing.