Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.

Joshua Korzenik

Carlo Giovanni Traverso

Robert Samuel Langer

Robert S Langer, Jr

Sufeng Zhang

Christoph Winfried Johannes Steiger

Ashok Kakkar

Articles and methods for delivering a therapeutic agent to a subject are described. These articles and methods may be useful, in some cases, for the delivery of therapeutic agents to the colon of a subject. In some embodiments, an article is configured to release a secretion inducing agent e.g., to stimulate the release of intestinal fluids. The article, in some embodiments, comprises a therapeutic agent such that the stimulated release of intestinal fluid increases the amount of therapeutic agent available for absorption by the colon. For example, in some embodiments, the articles and methods described herein advantageously promote increased absorption of therapeutic agents in subjects as compared to traditionally administered therapeutic agents without additional components such as a secretion inducing agent. In some embodiments, articles and methods described herein may increase the motility of the colon of a subject. The increase in contractions and movement of fluidic in the colon caused by increase motility may advantageously facilitate the dissolution or absorption of the therapeutic agent.

Articles and methods for administration of therapeutic agents

Compositions, articles, and methods for targeted drug delivery, such as thermoresponsive hydrogel polymers, are generally provided. In one aspect, the compositions and articles comprise a thermoresponsive hydrogel polymer comprising a releasable therapeutic agent. In some cases, the compositions described herein have advantageous combinations of properties including mechanical strength, biocompatibility, tunable charge densities, thermal responsiveness, drug loading, and/or configurations for targeted drug delivery. In one embodiment, the composition comprises a solution comprising a thermoresponsive polymer including one or more ligands attached to the polymer, wherein the solution is configured to undergo a sol-to-gel transition under physiological conditions. In another embodiment, the composition comprises a plurality of nanoparticles e.g., associated with the thermoresponsive polymer. In yet another embodiment, the composition comprises a therapeutic agent e.g., associated with the nanoparticles and/or thermoresponsive polymer.

Compositions and related methods for targeted drug delivery

Growing community of inventors

Waban, MA, United States of America

Joshua Korzenik