I-Corps: Vaginal Drug Delivery System

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力涉及创造一种更有效的持续释放方法，向妇女提供阴道药物，用于治疗绝经后阴道干燥和疼痛以及复发性感染。 该技术最终可能会解决其他应用，包括抗生素的输送。 有一个显着的需要，改善阴道给药;条件，如绝经后萎缩影响数百万妇女在美国。这种新型的给药平台解决了目前阴道给药的需求，并可用于阴道给药。I-Corps项目旨在开发下一代阴道给药平台。 该解决方案结合了已知的生物聚合物与常用的药物，可以持续释放的方式提供药物治疗。 药物递送系统的设计是为了易于应用和通过生物可吸收聚合物持续长期释放。 生物聚合物将与已知和常用的药物组合，以提供长期的药物缓释。早期的体外研究已经证明了雌激素的持续释放长达80天，早期的体内研究已经证明了该平台的安全性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project involves creation of a more effective sustained release method of delivering vaginal medications to women for treatment of postmenopausal vaginal dryness and pain, as well as recurring infections. The technology may ultimately address other applications, including the delivery of antibiotics. There is a significant need for improved vaginal medication administration; Conditions such as postmenopausal atrophy affects millions of women in the United States. This novel delivery platform addresses a current need in vaginal drug delivery and can be leveraged to deliver other medications vaginally.This I-Corps project is aimed at developing a next generation vaginal drug delivery platform. The solution combines known biopolymers with commonly used medications that can deliver drug therapies in a sustained released fashion. The drug delivery system has been designed for ease of application and sustained, long-term release through bioabsorbable polymers. The biopolymer will be combined with known and commonly used medications in order to deliver a long term, slow release of the drug. Early in vitro studies have demonstrated sustained release of estrogen for up to 80 days and early in vivo studies have demonstrated the safety of the platform.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.