Q&A: Ingestible gel technology and the personalized delivery dynamic

This October 18, 2021 handout photo courtesy of Merck & Co,Inc. shows capsules of the antiviral pill molnupiravir – Copyright AFP CHRISTOF STACHE

One way to improve drug delivery is gel-technology. This is designed to assist with the delivery of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) or nutritional compounds via an easy to consume gel-based formulation. This approach fits with the personalized delivery dynamic altering the way medicines and nutrients are provided to patients.

Simon Szewach, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Gelteq, a global biotechnology company specializing in ingestible gel technologies for humans and animals, covering the pharmaceutical, healthcare, nutrition and sport sectors. Szewach explains about the technology in an exclusive interview with Digital Journal.

Digital Journal: Can you provide a brief background on Gelteq?

Simon Szewach: Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Gelteq is a global biotechnology company that has developed an innovative and superior new oral nutrient and drug delivery technology. We have replaced the  problems related to swallowing, taste, dosage, and efficacy that are traditionally associated with pills, powders, and tablets, and replaced them with an easy-to-swallow set-dosage gel solution.

Gelteq is focused on advancing and commercializing our gel-based delivery solutions within five core verticals — pets, sports, pharmaceutical, over-the-counter (OTC),and nutraceutical — all  of which leverage our unique IP.

DJ: What are the benefits of using your gel technology for drug and nutrient delivery?

Szewach: There are many benefits to our gel technology. Specifically, the gel:

• Is easier to swallow, making it suitable for the elderly, children, people with dysphagia, and those who struggle to swallow pills or large dosages.
• Has the capacity to hold larger dosages.
• Masks the taste of unpalatable ingredients (i.e. fish oils), thereby making formulations more appealing.
• Increases adherence and completion rates due to the improved palatability.
• Has the ability to incorporate multiple (sometimes incompatible) ingredients into a single gel.
• Offers targeted delivery and timed release in the gastrointestinal tract and rapid solubility.
• Provides fast absorption and onset.
• Makes existing formulations easily convertible into market-ready gels.
• Provides additional patentable IP for clients on their existing drug (or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient – API).
• Is suitable for both human and animals.

DJ: Who are your partners in the development of this technology?

Szewach: Gelteq has created our technology internally and owns 100 percent of all IP created.

We have a long-standing relationship with Australia’s Monash University – one of the world’s leading Universities for Pharmaceutical Science. We began our collaboration with Monash University in  2018 and have continued to collaborate with the university to assist in testing and validating our technology. We currently run a full-time R&D laboratory at the university.

DJ: What type of companies are best suited to use your system? Who are some of your clients?

Szewach: Existing clients of Gelteq have included a range of nutraceutical and sport companies who have utilized the technology to offer their customers a new and innovative substitute to their more traditional pill and powder offerings.

Companies who offer pills, powders, tablets, oils, gummies, and other oral delivery products within the nutraceutical, sport, pet, and pharmaceutical verticals are most likely to benefit from our gel-based  offering.

Our clients include Healthy Extracts (OTCB: HYEX), Whitney Johns Nutrition, PGA Academy China, and the Pacific Pines Sports Academy.

DJ: Where do you expect the drug and nutrient delivery industry to go in the next five years?

Szewach: We anticipate the launch of various types of delivery systems to enter the market, and innovative technologies like our gels are expected to receive FDA approvals, providing further credibility  and market penetration in the pharmaceutical sector.

More advanced therapies will continue to evolve at a rapid pace, continuing the trend we have already been seeing over the last 5 years. These advancements are expected to include more personalized  delivery of drugs and nutrients. This lends itself to the need for flexibility since delivery platforms will need to take on differing dosages – large and small – something our gel delivery platform is well-suited for.