Oral ileocolonic targeted drug delivery in inflammatory bowel disease
Oral ileocolonic targeted drug delivery in inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are inflammatory conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract. People with IBD often need lifelong medication to keep the inflammation under control. Unfortunately, current treatments do not work sufficiently for everyone. This thesis of Antonius Otten investigates ways to improve these treatments.
One promising approach is a special tablet coating called ColoPulse. This coating ensures that medication is only released when the tablet reaches the end of the small intestine. We are investigating whether the anti-inflammatory drug infliximab can be administered via a ColoPulse tablet. Infliximab is currently given by injection to treat IBD. An oral form of infliximab would be more patient-friendly and deliver the drug directly to the site where inflammation is most active. We describe how these infliximab tablets can be safely tested.
This thesis also shows that vitamins B2 and C may help improve gut health, for example by supporting the intestinal microbiota. This thesis describes how ColoPulse vitamin capsules are produced and how these capsules will be tested. Furthermore, this thesis explores how temporary stomas might help prevent major intestinal surgeries and how patients can better monitor their disease at home through a simple finger-prick test. Finally, it examines the influence of IBD medications on the effectiveness of vaccinations against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.