Researchers at the University of Warwick produced and patented the world’s first ibuprofen patch, which delivers the drug directly through skin at a consistent dose rate to exactly where it is needed. The researchers worked with Coventry-based Medherant, a Warwick spinout company. 

This transparent adhesive patch delivers a prolonged high dose of the painkiller ibuprofen directly through the skin. It is developed by Bostik and exclusively licensed for transdermal use to Medherant. 

Some of the features of Medherant’s ibuprofen patch include:

• Incorporation of polymer technology
• Contains significant amounts of the drug (up to 30 percent weight) in the polymer matrix
• Delivers at a steady rate over up to 12 hours
• Has 5 to 10 times the drug load than that found in some currently used medical patches and gels
• Has a cosmetically-pleasing transparent design with stronger adhesion than other commercial products

Professor David Haddleton, Research Chemist from the University of Warwick said in a statement: “Many commercial patches surprisingly don’t contain any pain relief agents at all, they simply soothe the body by a warming effect. Our technology now means that we can for the first time produce patches that contain effective doses of active ingredients such as ibuprofen for which no patches currently exist. Also, we can improve the drug loading and stickiness of patches containing other active ingredients to improve patient comfort and outcome.”

This technology opens the way for the development of a range of novel long-acting over-the-counter pain relief products that can be used to treat common painful conditions, such as chronic back pain, neuralgia, and arthritis without the need to take potentially damaging doses of the drug orally.

Nigel Davis CEO of Medherant, said: “Our transdermal patch technology expands the range of drugs that can be delivered via skin patches and can significantly increase drug loading capabilities, whilst retaining adhesion and being thin and flexible. Thus our patches provide a better experience for patients, enhance safety, and deliver increased efficacy, which will lead to economic benefits to the healthcare system.

“Our first products will be over-the-counter pain relief patches and through partnering we would expect to have the first of those products on the market in around 2 years. In addition to our pain relief products, our technology also works with drugs in many other therapeutic areas. We can see considerable opportunities in working with pharmaceutical companies to develop innovative products using our next generation transdermal drug-delivery platform.”

Image Source: University of Warwick. 

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