Co-delivery system to overcome mucosal barriers

Many nanoparticle drug carriers fail at mucosal interfaces because their transport relies on slow Brownian diffusion. In mucus, passive nanoparticles are hindered by steric constraints and adhesive interactions with the mucin network, leading to poor tissue access and rapid clearance by mucosal turnover. As a result, major administration routes such as oral or pulmonary delivery remain difficult for many nanomedicines.

This invention uses hydrodynamic coupling between active and passive particles directly in biological mucus to enhance transport of passive nanocarriers. Both particle types are co-embedded in a microparticle that protects the active component from premature activation and enables local co-release at the target mucosa. In proof-of-concept studies, passive particle mobility increased by more than tenfold, with improved penetration of passive particles into mucosal hydrogel barriers.