Transdermal Delivery of Adalimumab for the Treatment of Crohn's Disease

Stefana Duca – PhD Student, University of Nottingham; Rachael Lever – PhD Student, University of Nottingham; Sonia Pedro – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Nottingham; Madeline Berrow – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Nottingham; Felicity De Cogan – Associate Professor, University of Nottingham

Introduction:

More than 500,000 people in the UK are living with Crohn’s or Colitis [1]. One of the treatments for Crohn’s is adalimumab (Humira), a monoclonal anti TNFα antibody, that has to be administered by the patient every 7-14 days via subcutaneous injection. However, it is estimated that up to 30% of people suffer with needle-phobia with some saying they would avoid injections to treat a severe medical condition [2]. If Crohn’s disease is left untreated it can lead to complications such as strictures, fistulas, and abscesses. It also increases the risk of other conditions such as colon cancer [3]. Our aim is to utilise permeation enhancers to develop a transdermal alternative so we can enhance patient compliance.