Inside STAT: Scientists create a synthetic lining for the intestine to make delivering drugs easier

THE SYNTHETIC LINING, WHICH HAS BEEN APPLIED TO THE PIG INTESTINAL TISSUE ON THE RIGHT, IS DESIGNED TO STICK TO THE INTESTINES. (COURTESY JUNWEI LI)

Scientists who set out to find an alternative for kids' medicines than hard-to-swallow tablets have reported creating a synthetic intestinal lining, one that could one day be swallowed in a single solution. In a new study, researchers describe how they tested the lining system made of dopamine and hydrogen peroxide in pig models such that the lining could coat and stick to the small intestine stably for one day. They found the system could deliver digestive enzymes to regulate glucose absorption and the breakdown of lactose. It was also able to deliver drugs for a condition caused by a parasitic flatworm, work that could one day be studied for human use. Read more from STAT's Pratibha Gopalakrishna here.