Like most vaccines, RNA vaccines have to be injected, which can be an obstacle for people who fear needles.
In a new study from MIT, researchers have developed a way to deliver RNA in a capsule that can be swallowed, which they hope could help make people more receptive to them.
In addition to making vaccines easier to tolerate, this approach could also be used to deliver other kinds of therapeutic RNA or DNA directly to the digestive tract, which could make it easier to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers.
In a new study, the team showed that they could use the capsule they developed to deliver up to 150 micrograms of RNA—more than the amount used in mRNA COVID vaccines—in the stomach of pigs.
For several years, researchers have been developing novel ways to deliver drugs to the gastrointestinal tract.
In 2019, the researchers designed a capsule that, after being swallowed, can place solid drugs, such as insulin, into the lining of the stomach.
The pill, about the size of a blueberry, has a high, steep dome inspired by the leopard tortoise. Just as the tortoise is able to right itself if it rolls onto its back, the capsule is able to orient itself so that its contents can be injected into the lining of the stomach.
In 2021, the researchers showed that they could use the capsule to deliver large molecules such as monoclonal antibodies in liquid form.
Next, the researchers decided to try to use the capsule to deliver nucleic acids, which are also large molecules.
Nucleic acids are susceptible to degradation when they enter the body, so they need to be carried by protective particles.
For this study, the MIT team used a new type of polymeric nanoparticle.
These particles, which can deliver RNA with high efficiency, are made from a type of polymer called poly(beta-amino esters).
In the pig studies, the researchers found that the reporter protein was successfully produced by cells of the stomach, but they did not see it elsewhere in the body.
In future work, they hope to increase RNA uptake in other organs by changing the composition of the nanoparticles or giving larger doses.
However, it may also be possible to generate a strong immune response with delivery only to the stomach.
The researchers now plan to investigate whether they can create a systemic immune response, including activation of B and T cells, by delivering mRNA vaccines using their capsules.
This approach could also be used to create targeted treatments for gastrointestinal diseases, which can be difficult to treat using traditional injection under the skin.
If you care about vaccines, please read studies about novel vaccine method to prevent COVID-19 infection, and scientists develop a new COVID vaccine for older people.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about green tea that may protect your body as a vaccine, and results showing why it’s normal for COVID-19 vaccine immunity to wane, and how booster shots can help.
The study is published in the journal Matter and was conducted by Giovanni Traverso et al.
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