Testing drugs is a very complex and lengthy process. A British researcher from Huddersfield University has developed a system that should greatly simplify the life of pharmaceutical companies in this direction.
Before you begin to test drugs in humans, you first conduct clinical tests on animals. And due to the fact that the gastrointestinal tracts in animals and humans vary greatly, the degree of absorption of drugs by the intestinal walls also varies greatly. This difference greatly complicates and increases the cost of development and testing.
The extent of drug absorption is mainly investigated during human clinical trials, and this is both expensive and dangerous. As a result of the tests, the final cost of such drugs already includes the cost of all clinical trials. In fact, the more expensive the research, the more expensive the drugs themselves.
Dr. Hamid Merchant from Huddersfield University has developed a device that recreates the human gastrointestinal tract and allows researchers to collect the necessary data much faster and cheaper than using living experimental subjects.
The simulator is a camera containing a dissolving medium, a probe measuring pH acidity and a control unit. By tracking changes in acidity, you can assess how effective the drug will be absorbed by the body. This takes into account the different levels of acidity and alkalinity that may occur in the human intestine. The operator can adjust the indicators manually, imitating what is happening with medicines in a variety of conditions.
“By minimizing human testing, companies can significantly safeguard the lives of the subjects, as well as drastically reduce the cost of testing medicines. All this will directly affect the final cost of medicines, ”Dr. Merchant shared with journalists.
Prototype artificial intestines, as reported on , already used by several pharmaceutical companies to test various medications. The device inventor has already filed an application with the patent office to protect its intellectual property. Many commercial partners have expressed their interest in making this device commercially successful and bring it to the international market.
The article is based on materials .
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