Identification and validation of small molecules with mucin-selective regiospecific binding in the gastrointestinal...

Oral drug delivery is a widely used method of drug administration; however, achieving localized drug release at specific regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is generally accomplished by using broad environmental differences. The GI tract is a complex system with regional differences in composition, such as selective expression of mucin glycoproteins in different organs. Here, we identify small molecule ligands that can selectively bind to the different mucins to localize drug delivery to the small intestine and stomach. We demonstrate up to a 10-fold increase in particle binding to these organs and up to a 4-fold increase in selectivity compared to chitosan. Additionally, we observe up to a 9-fold increase in budesonide concentration in the small intestine and a 25-fold increase in tetracycline concentration in the stomach. These results show that we have developed a versatile platform capable of sequestering a variety of drugs in certain GI tract organs.