L2M NSERC - Powdered Iron Supplement for Redispersion and Quick Consumption

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Anemia is a widespread global public health problem which is particularly prevalent among women, affecting approximately 36.5% of pregnant women and 29.6% of non-pregnant women. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of this condition, accounting for up to 50% of all cases. Iron supplementation is recommended for the prevention and treatment of iron-deficiency anemia and the two most common administration methods are oral and intravenous iron supplementation. Oral administration is typically preferred over intravenous, except in the case of severely anemic patients, but both methods result in undesirable gastrointestinal side effects due to complications such as iron overload or the presence of free iron in the gut. This issue can be circumvented if the supplement is formulated for the targeted delivery of iron to the small intestine where it is absorbed. There is a gap in the market for well-tolerated and affordable iron supplementation options specifically engineered to improve bioavailability through targeted release and a better alternative is desperately needed. Our proposed iron supplement formulation is a dissolvable powder both utilizing a pH-sensitive polymer and containing vitamin C to enhance iron absorption, pre-portioned to contain the recommended daily intake of iron. Our technology encapsulates a suitable iron source using a custom-designed microfluidic device within microscale droplets of a targeted-release, pH-sensitive material that protects the capsule through the stomach and dissolves in the small intestine to improve the bioavailability of the encapsulated iron. The micron-sized nature of our capsules increases their surface area-to-volume ratio, accelerating the capsule dissolution rate in the small intestine and enabling the rapid absorption of iron. The selective delivery of iron to the small intestine enabled by our proposed formulation improves the bioavailability and absorption of iron compared to conventional iron supplement tablets. Our targeted encapsulation approach could be further expanded for the targeted delivery of other natural health products (such as probiotics) to enhance their bioavailability.