Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a way to deliver drugs that don’t require injections and are as easy as swallowing a pill. Research published Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common disease that often requires continuous injections throughout life. Fear of needles, pain and injection-related infections may cause patients to avoid necessary treatment.
In a new paper, scientists explored the possibility of using the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri as a new drug delivery platform for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists have created a genetically modified gut bacteria that secretes the ShK-235 peptide. This substance, obtained from sea anemone toxin, has previously been shown to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in animals.
Animal experiments showed that daily supply of these bacteria significantly reduced the clinical manifestations of the disease, including joint inflammation, cartilage destruction and bone damage.
More research is needed to put this new drug delivery system into practice, but the researchers think this will make it easier for patients to treat and replace injections with small capsules in the future.