Transforming Rectal Therapies for Ulcerative Colitis Using Novel Hydrogel Formulation

27 September 2022 15:30 - 16:00

  • Rectal therapy is the most effective way to manage acute flares of ulcerative colitis, but current options either do not have adequate coverage of the colon (suppositories, foams) or are intolerable for patients (enemas)
  • Intact has developed a thermally responsive gel formulation which is self-administered as a liquid but transitions to a viscous gel inside the colon
  • Gel enables better retention of the formulation and potential for improved efficacy
  • Gel platform has been tested with mesalamine in clinical trials
  • Platform can be used to deliver range of therapies to the distal colon
Current rectal therapies for ulcerative colitis are either intolerable (enemas) or provide limited proximal reach (suppositories, foams). Thermally responsive hydrogels have been widely used as pharmaceutical excipients but their thermosensitive gelation properties have not been leveraged, particularly for at-home use formulations. The first, at-home use thermosensitive rectal gel provides significant advantages over other rectal dosage forms, with respect to drug release, retention, and patient comfort. The gel platform has the potential to deliver a range of therapies to the distal colon, including both small and large molecules.

Ravi Pamnani, Co-Founder/CEO, Intact Therapeutics Inc.

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