MIT engineers have developed a gel-based oral drug formulation capable of delivering therapeutics directly to the esophageal lining. The hydrogel, combined with bile salts (sodium chenodeoxycholate and sodium cholate), temporarily loosens cell-cell junctions in the esophagus to allow drugs like infliximab to pass through the normally impermeable squamous epithelium. Tested in animals, the approach could reduce systemic side effects of immunosuppressants used to treat conditions like eosinophilic esophagitis and Crohn's disease. The team used a custom screening system mimicking esophageal tissue to identify optimal excipient combinations, and is now working toward human trials.
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