Compositions capable of facilitating penetration across a biological barrier

Abstract

This invention relates to novel penetrating compositions including one or more effectors included within a water soluble composition, immersed in a hydrophobic medium. The invention also relates to methods of treating or preventing diseases by administering such penetrating compositions to affected subjects.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 562,345, filed on Apr. 15, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to novel penetration compositions that enable efficient translocation of an effector across biological barriers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Techniques enabling efficient transfer of a substance of interest across a biological barrier are of considerable interest in the field of biotechnology. For example, such techniques may be used for the transport of a variety of different substances across a biological barrier regulated by tight junctions (i.e., the mucosal epithelia, which include the intestinal and respiratory epithelia and the vascular endothelia, which includes the blood-brain barrier). [0004] The intestinal epithelium represents the major barrier to absorption of orally administered compounds, e.g., drugs and peptides, into th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] The present invention provides compositions for effectively translocating therapeutically active molecules, i.e., effectors, otherwise impermeable through biological barriers, by including such molecules in a water soluble composition. In one embodiment, the water soluble composition can be immersed in a hydrophobic medium. Alternatively, the water soluble solution can first be lyophilized, and then suspended in a hydrophobic medium. The invention also relates to the use of membrane fluidizing agents in order to enhance the translocation of said at least one effector across a biological barrier.

[0036] The invention also involves methods of effectively translocating at least one effector across a biological barrier using the compositions of the invention. For example, at least one effector can be included within a water soluble composition, optionally lyophilized thereafter, immersed in a hydrophobic medium to form a composition according to the invention, which can then be introduced to a biological barrier, thereby effectively translocating the effector across the biological barrier.

Problems solved by technology

Active or facilitative transport occurs via cellular carriers, and is limited to transport of low molecular weight degradation products of complex molecules such as proteins and sugars, e.g., amino acids, pentoses, and hexoses.

This process is limited to relatively small hydrophobic compounds.

Consequently, with the exception of those molecules that are transported by active or facilitative mechanisms, absorption of larger, more hydrophilic molecules is, for the most part, limited to the paracellular pathway.

However, the entry of molecules through the paracellular pathway is primarily restricted by the presence of the tight junctions.

However, one drawback to all of these methods is that they facilitate the indiscriminate penetration of any nearby molecule that happens to be in the gastrointestinal or airway lumen.

In addition, each of these intestinal / respiratory absorption enhancers has properties that limit their general usefulness as a means to promote absorption of various molecules across a biological barrier.

Moreover, with the use of harsh surfactants, the potential lytic nature of these agents raises concerns regarding safety.

Hence, the possibility of exfoliation of the epithelium using surfactants, as well as the potential complications arising from increased epithelial repair, raise safety concerns about the use of surfactants as intestinal / respiratory absorption enhancers.

Moreover, as typical calcium chelators only have access to the mucosal surface, and luminal Ca+2 concentration may vary, sufficient amounts of chelators generally cannot be administered to lower Ca+2 levels to induce the opening of tight junctions in a rapid, reversible, and reproducible manner.

This manipulation might also results in diarrhea.

However, these vehicles do not address the impermeable nature of the epithelial barrier.

Thus, for most relevant drugs, absorption does not rise above 5%, and fails to achieve the minimal therapeutic goals.

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