Drug Administration Suction Cup

2023: Product Announcement

On September 27, 2023, Swiss researchers from the Higher Technical School of Zurich (ETH Zurich) announced the development of a special suction cup for the delivery of drugs into the patient's body. The proposed technology is a painless alternative to traditional injections.

It is noted that peptide drugs are used to treat a wide range of diseases, including diabetes and obesity. However, taking such drugs in the form of tablets in most cases is out of the question, since they are destroyed in the digestive tract and do not enter the bloodstream. Therefore, the only option for the patient is to obtain such a preparation by injection. The new technology eliminates the pain and fear associated with this procedure.

Suction cup for delivering drugs to the body

The developed suction cup delivers the medicine to the body through the mucous membrane on the inside of the cheek. The product has a diameter of about 10 mm and a height of 6 mm. The patient secures the suction cup in the oral cavity with the help of two fingers: a vacuum is created that stretches the epithelium of the cheek mucosa, which improves the penetration of the drug. Moreover, the preparation contained in the suction cup is supplemented with an endogenous agent that "dilutes" cell membranes, allowing the substance to penetrate into deeper layers of tissues and, as a result, into the bloodstream.

The project participants note that their development is inspired by nature, namely, inspired by octopus suckers. The product is said to deliver a wide range of drugs. The process of penetration of the drug into the bloodstream takes several minutes and does not create discomfort for patients. Most of the volunteers who tried the sucker said they would prefer the new drug delivery system to traditional injections.^[1]

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