N4 Pharma Plc (LON:N4P), the specialist pharmaceutical company developing Nuvec®, a novel delivery system for cancer treatments and vaccines, has provided a further positive update on its ongoing oral delivery research work.
The Company, through its research program with the University of Queensland, has undertaken further testing, in vivo, to show the successful delivery of a Nuvec® capsule into the intestine where it has released its plasmid DNA payload to produce localised protein expression. This work further demonstrates the potential of Nuvec® as an oral delivery system for multiple nucleotide payloads.
Specifically, in this experiment an enterically coated capsule containing PEGylated Nuvec® loaded with a plasmid DNA expressing ovalbumin was administered on day 0 and subsequent capsules on day 3, day 6, day 9 and a booster capsule at day 21. Protein expression was significantly higher than control (DNA alone and non-PEGylated DNA loaded Nuvec®) up until day 25 which subsequently dropped away by day 36. In addition, a significantly higher ovalbumin antibody response was measured at day 36 in the PEGylated Nuvec® sample compared to control.
Nigel Theobald, Chief Executive Officer of N4 Pharma, commented:
“This work once more clearly shows that Nuvec® has the potential to be developed as an oral delivery system for plasmid DNA, mRNA or siRNA with many potential applications such as a vaccination with plasmid DNA or to deliver a local product for Irritable Bowel Disease or to treat colonic cancer among many possible examples.
“We will continue to scope out the work needed to explore a potential development program focusing on a specific oral application and further news on this will be announced when a program is identified. In the meantime, the University of Queensland will continue its work as part of our ARC funded grant with them.”
