Polymer gel opens door for extreme slow-release pills and devices

A new study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has created a polymer gel that could be used to create long-acting pills or devices that can slowly release medication within the stomach.

The polymer is pH-responsive and stable in the acidic stomach environment, while dissolving in the small intestine's near-neutral pH, allowing for safe passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Additionally, the material's elasticity means it can be used to help compress and fold devices into easily ingestible capsules, allowing them to be safely used for extremely prolonged residence in the stomach.

It is thought that the material could be used in the creation of devices that can release drugs over a specific timeframe of up to weeks or months at a time. Single-administration methods of this kind could make a significant positive impact on medication adherence.

Senior author Robert Langer, the David H Koch Institute Professor at MIT, said: "I'm delighted to see these new oral systems provide an opportunity that I've not seen previously – enabling patients to swallow a single pill that can then act for whatever length of time is desired."