Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System Development

Gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) represent an advanced pharmaceutical technology designed to prolong gastric residence time following oral administration, thereby extending drug release duration and enhancing gastrointestinal absorption. At Ace Therapeutics, we have developed gastroprotective delivery platforms to address critical challenges in drug development, particularly for compounds exhibiting poor absorption variability or inconsistent therapeutic performance.

Innovative Gastric Targeted Drug Delivery Systems

The GRDDS technology platform targets medications with narrow absorption windows or those requiring localized gastric action, such as Helicobacter pylori eradication therapies. By significantly prolonging gastric retention, it can improve drug bioavailability, reduce dosing frequency, and enhance local therapeutic effects. Current technological limitations, including individual variations in gastric emptying patterns and formulation complexity, are being addressed through next-generation innovations in stimuli-responsive biomaterials and hybrid mechanism designs.

Fig. 1 Approaches of gastroretentive drug delivery system. (Vinchurkar K, et al., 2022)

What Can We Offer?

Gastric-Targeted Drug Delivery System Development Services

GRDDS is a formulation technology that enables sustained release or site-specific absorption delivery of drugs by prolonging their retention time in the stomach. At Ace Therapeutics, we offer end-to-end gastroretentive drug delivery system solutions.

• Floating Drug Delivery Systems
  Our team specializes in designing advanced floating drug delivery systems that prolong gastrointestinal retention through precise density modulation. By incorporating low-density polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose with gas-generating carbonates, we help clients develop formulations that maintain buoyancy in gastric fluid, effectively resisting premature gastric emptying while ensuring controlled drug release.
• Swelling Drug Delivery Systems
  Our swelling-based gastroretentive systems employ engineered ultra-high molecular weight polymers, including cross-linked sodium polyacrylate and alginate derivatives, which undergo controlled hydration to achieve volumetric expansion beyond pyloric dimensions. This swelling mechanism acts a physical barrier that effectively prevents gastric emptying while maintaining consistent drug release kinetics throughout the extended retention period.
• Bioadhesive/Mucoadhesive Drug Delivery Systems
  Our bioadhesive/mucoadhesive drug delivery platform utilizes engineered mucoadhesive polymers, including carbomer derivatives and chitosan-based composites, which establish strong interfacial bonds with the gastric epithelium through both physical entanglement and charge-mediated interactions. This sophisticated adhesion mechanism enables prolonged gastric residence times exceeding 6 hours, while maintaining optimal drug release profiles tailored to therapeutic requirements.
• High-Density Drug Delivery Systems
  Our high-density formulation platform utilizes engineered excipient systems to achieve densities exceeding 2.5 g/cm³, ensuring reliable gravitational retention in the stomach's dependent regions. By maintaining a significant density differential versus gastric fluid, these formulations resist emptying even during the housekeeper wave, providing extended residence times of 6-8 hours for optimal drug absorption.

Backed by a team of pharmacologists, material scientists, and formulation experts, Ace Therapeutics bridges the gap between discovery and clinical translation. Partner with us to accelerate your GI-targeted therapy from concept to preclinical validation. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Reference

1. Vinchurkar K, et al. Features and Facts of a Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System-A Review. Turk J Pharm Sci. 2022:19(4):476-487.

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