Suction cup as a direct route for medication into the bloodstream

Many diseases require weekly or even daily injections of medication into the blood. To make this gentler for patients, researchers have developed a suction cup for the inside of the cheek. The suction cup allows drugs to be administered non-invasively directly into the blood. With the founding of the start-up Transire Bio, this is now to become marketable.

In an interview with MEDICA-tradefair.com, David Klein Cerrejon explains how exactly the suction cup is used and for which treatments it can simplify therapy.

Mr. Klein Cerrejon, how does the suction cup pick up medication?

David Klein Cerrejon: It is an extremely small suction cup that differs significantly in both design and shape from the suction cups previously used in everyday life. This is because the design we know from kitchen hooks, for example, does not work on a soft surface like the inside of the cheek. Therefore, we took inspiration for the design from the suction cups of an octopus.

The suction cup is glued to the inside of the cheek. You insert it with one finger and hold against it with pressure with another finger. Once the suction cup is compressed, it will stick by itself. The suction cup is already loaded with the medication during production and can be delivered to the affected person in a blister similar to a tablet.

Once placed, the mucosa is drawn into the cup and slightly stretched mechanically. Together with the penetration-enhancing agents, the drugs can thus diffuse through the mucosa and be absorbed directly by the capillaries into the blood system. This works well due to the interaction of mechanical stretching and the action of the penetration-promoting agent. Still, the mucosa is not damaged in the process.

The suction cup is suitable for daily applications or weekly applications of 10 to 30 minutes. In case of doubt, the cheek can also be alternated in daily applications, but in principle it is possible to always place the suction cup in the same place without any problems. In a study with dogs, where we took a biopsy of the affected area, we could see that after 24 hours there was a complete regeneration of the mucous membranes.

For which treatments can the suction cup be used?  

Klein Cerrejon: The technology is a platform and can be used for various treatments. For example, the suction cup is suitable for GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are used to treat type two diabetes. This drug is also used for the treatment of obesity and potentially in the future in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the use is also feasible for a medication from the field of osteoporosis, which is normally administered with a daily injection.

Use in prostate cancer, for example, could also be a possibility in the future, as could use for a number of other drugs. For this, however, we first need to investigate in detail with our partners what is being developed by pharmaceutical companies and where there could be potential for collaboration.

What are the advantages of the product?

Klein Cerrejon: One advantage is that a major problem with drug absorption can be circumvented. Many drugs that contain peptides are degraded in the intestines. After being taken as a pill, the enzymes in the stomach and intestines process the peptides quickly and not enough of the active ingredients can be absorbed through the intestinal mucosa. As a result, not enough of the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream to have a therapeutic effect. This can be prevented with suction cup administration, as the medication enters the bloodstream directly through the mucosa of the cheek.

Other advantages include ease of use and no restrictions on the timing of food intake. It is a safe procedure because it is non-invasive and the mouth regenerates relatively quickly.

How sustainable is the suction cup as a disposable item?

Klein Cerrejon: Currently, we are still working with silicone-based materials. As a next step, however, we want to switch completely to biodegradable materials. Our goal is to offer a zero-waste product.

What was the biggest challenge during development?

Klein Cerrejon: One challenge was the formulation that would allow the drugs to be absorbed through the inside of the cheek. We had to find out which penetration-enhancing agents worked and which did not. In doing so, we were able to determine that endogenous substances work best in a slightly modified application.

Another challenge was the study design. Normally, animal studies are first conducted with rats, mice and rabbits. This was not possible for the sucker because the mucosal structure is too different from that of a human. This made it necessary to start directly with a large animal model with dogs. This required even more detailed preliminary work and testing before we could move on to the in vivo studies.

What happens now with the product? What are the next steps?

Klein Cerrejon: We are currently in the founding phase for our start-up Transire Bio. We are receiving various grants, including from the ETH, and are currently in talks with the first pharmaceutical companies to find synergies. Next year, we plan to find additional partners and increase fundraising efforts in order to move into preclinical and clinical trials. We are confident that we can quickly move into the clinic based on the study work already done.