Strakan starts trials of drug conjugate
of a testosterone product that should overcome the limitations of
delivering the drug by mouth.
Androgens such as testosterone are very quickly destroyed when taken by mouth and attempts to overcome this by means of skin patches and gels have not proven to be very satisfactory.
To overcome this, Strakan has developed a conjugation technology in which the active drug is attached to a sugar molecule, improving its uptake from the gut.
Poor drug absorption from the gut can mean that high doses of active ingredients must be taken, which can raise the risk of side effects, for example by stimulating gut or liver receptors. In addition, some drugs are rapidly destroyed by gut or liver enzymes.
Strakan's drug conjugate technology seeks to overcome these drawbacks. Conjugating drugs with sugar molecules renders many drugs more soluble and hence more readily absorbed from the gut. In addition, the drug conjugate molecule is less likely to be 'recognised' by gut and liver enzymes which would otherwise destroy the drug itself. Similarly, the drug conjugate is less likely to be recognised by receptors outside its tissue site of action, thereby diminishing the risk of unwanted side effects.
The Phase I trial will evaluate Strakan's testosterone-glucoside product in the treatment of a variety of conditions (including osteoporosis, loss of libido and muscle wasting) often associated with the ageing process in the male.
