I-Corps: Vaginal Drug Delivery System

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括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，以及反复感染。这项技术最终可能会解决其他应用，包括抗生素的输送。有很大的需要改善阴道用药；绝经后萎缩等疾病影响着美国数百万女性。这一新颖的给药平台满足了当前阴道给药的需求，并可用于经阴道给药。i-Corps项目旨在开发下一代经阴道给药平台。该解决方案将已知的生物聚合物与常用药物相结合，可以持续释放的方式提供药物治疗。药物输送系统的设计使其易于使用，并通过生物可吸收聚合物进行持续、长期的释放。这种生物聚合物将与已知和常用的药物相结合，以提供长期、缓慢的药物释放。早期的体外研究已经证明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。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.