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A new capsule designed by researchers Ahmed Wadi, graduate research assistant in the , and Mo Maniruzzaman, chair and professor of pharmaceutics and drug delivery, can release medication at a programmed time, taking the burden off of patients.

"We need to time that drug delivery when it's most safe and most effective for every person, and every person is different," Wadi said. "We're improving that treatment plan because we can design the medication to their lifestyle and what works best for them".

"Our system can be adjusted and customized the release time according to what works best for the condition and what works best for the person."

Many time-release medications use coatings that dissolve slowly in stomach acid or layers that break down over time. But these methods can be imprecise.

In a study published in the , Wadi and Maniruzzaman introduced a specialized capsule consisting of an external shell, hydrogel disc and the medication the capsule is delivering. The barrier layer has holes so liquids in the body can pass through and reach the hydrogel disc. The disc then expands slowly until the capsule pops, releasing the medication.

By controlling the size of the holes in the capsule's exterior, the researchers can control exactly when the medication is released.

"This is the beauty of the mechanism," Maniruzzaman said. "It uses no electronics or mechanics, yet we can tailor the release to the exact time a patient needs their medicine."

For patients who have chronic illnesses such as Addison's disease, where the body's adrenal glands do not produce enough essential hormones such as cortisol, timing is important, Wadi said. One of cortisol's functions is telling the body to wake up in the mornings.

With a capsule that can be engineered to act precisely, patients can sleep easy knowing they will get the medication exactly when needed.

"If you need your medication to wake you up in the morning, you need a medication that is tailored to your schedule," Wadi said. "When you design it for the patient, you are actually promoting more consistent intake and better treatment outcomes.

"You're avoiding the patient having to tailor their lifestyle for the medication because we've tailored the medication to them."

This capsule system could be designed to treat a range of illnesses such as heart disease, arthritis, cancer, diabetes or allergies, Maniruzzaman said. In the next phase of the study, the researchers hope to design a capsule that can release multiple medications at different times.

"Patients with chronic conditions are often asked to take multiple pills throughout the day," he said. "Our system can combine several medicines into one capsule and release each one right when it's needed.

"Think about our grandparents in their 80s or 90s. If they're prescribed eight medications a day, can we expect them to remember exactly when to take each one? A programmable pill removes that burden."

Top: Ahmed Wadi, graduate research assistant in the School of Pharmacy, works with a 3D printer that can create programmable, time-release capsules for delivering medication on a patient's schedule. Submitted photo