N4 Pharma Plc (LON:N4P), the specialist pharmaceutical company developing Nuvec®, a novel delivery system for cancer treatments and vaccines, has provided an update on its ongoing Australian Research Council grant work with the University of Queensland, investigating the oral delivery of Nuvec® loaded with DNA.
The Company has now completed two in vivo studies demonstrating that Nuvec loaded with OVA m-cherry DNA and encapsulated within an acid protective polymer can be dosed orally, penetrate the mucus layer and successfully express the OVA m-cherry locally in the intestine epithelial cells.
In the first study Nuvec® was formulated together with the OVA and the whole formulation was coated with the polymer as a capsule. In the second study the nanoparticles, once loaded with OVA, were individually encapsulated with the polymer and administered via an oral gavage.
Nigel Theobald, Chief Executive Officer of N4 Pharma, commented:
“These studies are at an early stage in the development of an oral application, but show the versatility of Nuvec both in terms of its ease of formulation and application in a wide number of areas. Having successfully demonstrated Nuvec can be administered orally and locally transfect cells in the intestine, the next step is to investigate what the most suitable medical application might be for this delivery method.
We are greatly encouraged by these early results and look forward to continuing the work in this area, whilst continuing with our ongoing siRNA work.”
