Octopus-like sucker may mean the end of many jabs for diseases such as obesity and breast cancer

Adhesive devices inspired by octopus tentacles could spell the end of injections for millions of people.

The patches have small rubber suction cups and are designed to stick to the inside of the cheek, where they deliver insulin and other medications for obesity and breast cancer, for example, that are typically administered by injection.

The patches, which are the shape and size of a bean, could be a big help for people whose medications are not available in pill form, as well as those with a phobia of needles.

Many new medications must be injected because they are made from proteins that enzymes in the digestive tract could break down if taken in tablet form. These ‘large molecule’ medications also tend to be poorly absorbed into the blood when taken in pill form. When administered through the cheek, they reach the bloodstream directly.

Researchers have tried delivering medications through patches placed inside the mouth before, but have had trouble getting them to stick to wet cheeks.

Swiss scientists looked to octopuses and their suction cups for inspiration. When the octopus’s suction cup comes into contact with its prey, it flattens, creating an airtight seal that keeps it firmly in place. The drug delivery patch consists of a suction cup, topped by a small dome, that contains the drug, as well as a compound that increases the permeability of the cheek tissue.

To apply it, the patient presses it against the smooth, slippery surface of the inside of their cheek. This creates a vacuum that prevents slipping.

The cupping then temporarily stretches the lining of the cheek, creating a larger area through which medications can be absorbed: the medication then leaks into the lining of the cheek, where it is then absorbed into the bloodstream.

The patches, which measure 1 cm by 0.6 cm, would be used once before being discarded and a new one would be applied when necessary.

The patches have small rubber suction cups and are designed to stick to the inside of the cheek, where they deliver insulin and other medications for obesity and breast cancer, for example, that are typically administered by injection.

In tests on dogs, which have a similar cheek lining to humans, the patches successfully delivered medications, including the diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide (usually injected), into the bloodstream.

Researchers at ETH Zurich University then asked 40 healthy people to wear the patches for half an hour. The patches, which contained water instead of medication, stuck well and only one participant said he felt uncomfortable. Most said they preferred them to injections, the journal Science Translational Medicine reported.

“This is a method of drug delivery that could save millions of people the fear and pain associated with injections,” says Dr. Nevena Paunović, one of the researchers.

More human trials are planned. Commenting on the new technique, James Birchall, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Cardiff University, said: “The inner lining of the cheek forms less of a barrier than the skin on the outside of the body and is therefore potentially very suitable for effective treatments. and convenient delivery of medications.

“This method avoids the pain of the injection and the need for a trained doctor to administer the injection, and delivers the medication directly into the blood vessels so it is not damaged by stomach acid and enzymes.”