In the case of macromolecules and poorly permeable drugs, oral drug delivery features low bioavailability and low absorption across the intestinal wall. Intestinal absorption can be improved if the drug formulation could be transported close to the epithelium. To achieve this, a cascade delivery device comprising Magnesium‐based Janus micromotors (MMs) nesting inside a microscale containers (MCs) has been conceptualized. The device aims at facilitating targeted drug delivery mediated by MMs that can lodge inside the intestinal mucosa. Loading MMs into MCs can potentially enhance drug absorption through increased proximity and unidirectional release. The MMs will be provided with optimal conditions for ejection into any residual mucus layer that the MCs have not penetrated. MMS confined inside MCs propel faster in the mucus environment as compared to non‐confined MMs. Upon contact with a suitable fuel, the MM‐loaded MC itself can also move. An in vitro study shows fast release profiles and linear motion properties in porcine intestinal mucus compared to more complex motion in aqueous media. The concept of dual‐acting cascade devices holds great potential in applications where proximity to epithelium and deep mucus penetration are needed.
Combination drug therapy is commonly used to treat cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and infections. However, these therapies face challenges associated with patient compliance and toxicology. Over the past decades, microdevices have emerged as a promising candidate for oral delivery allowing for targeted drug delivery with a tunable drug release. In the present work, engineered and monodisperse dual‐compartment microdevices are developed to achieve a physical separation of two drugs followed by a sequential release in the gastrointestinal tract. As proof‐of‐concept, the compartments are sealed with two pH‐sensitive polymers of different thicknesses to control the sequential release of propranolol and furosemide. In vitro release studies and in vivo absorption studies in rats confirm a sequential drug release from the two compartments. Unlike other proposed approaches, it is highly advantageous that the drugs can be loaded directly as powders, and that their release can be tuned via optimized coatings to achieve the desired release and absorption profiles. Conclusively, this study lays a strong foundation for the future use of microdevices to enable co‐delivery of drugs followed by a sequential release in close proximity in the gastrointestinal tract.
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