FURI | Spring 2020

Oral Drug Delivery Vehicle for Prevention of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic joint-inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects 0.5-3.3% of the population worldwide. This project aims to engineer an oral drug delivery system that can modulate intestinal dendritic cells to prevent the progression of RA. In this research, a microparticle (MP) encapsulating anti-inflammatory agents was coated with an optimal ratio of Eudragit polymers to bypass the harsh gastric acidity within the stomach (pH 1) and degrade within the intestine (pH 7.4). The subcutaneous administration of this MP in Dr. Acharya’s lab successfully prevented the progression in mice, however, oral drug administration is highly favored.