Oral Protein Delivery: Nanoassemblies for Targeted Treatment of Intestinal Diseases

Introduction: Oral administration of antibodies (Abs) is a promising strategy for treating gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, achieving effective Ab oral delivery faces major challenges: the acidic GI environment, digestive enzymes and the mucus barrier, triggering the degradation of Abs. Additionally, their large molecular size and hydrophilic nature hinder permeability through the intestinal epithelium [1]. The difficulty of this approach is highlighted by the fact that only two anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Ab inhibitors have reached the market [2].