PERMEABILITY AND CYTOTOXICITY OF MACROMOLECULE FROM NASAL FORMULATION USING EPIAIRWAY TISSUE MODEL.

Hydrophilic macromolecules such as proteins and peptides are poorly absorbed through the nasal mucosa. Nastech Pharmaceuticals has utilized a variety of techniques to improve the nasal absorption of macromolecules with emphasize on achieving safety as well as therapeutic efficacy. EpiAirway, an in vitro epithelial cell membrane model, was employed to screen Nastech formulations and marketed products for their influence on membrane permeation and cellular cytotoxicity. The EpiAirway cell membrane model provides several advantages over other models: 1) The ability to use human originated cells derived from the target epithelial membranes. 2) It enables control of the experimental environment and provides a convenient means of evaluation. 3) It allows direct access to both apical and basolateral surfaces and therefore permits a mechanistic analysis of transport and cytotoxicity. 4) The EpiAirway model is a cost effective means by which a large number of compounds may be screened in a relatively short time using small quantity of materials. 5) The EpiAirway cell membrane model reflects the physiological and anatomical properties of the respiratory epithelia.

Bronchial, Ciliary activity, Cytotoxicity, EpiAirway, HPLC, Irritation (EpiAirway), Irritation (skin), LDH, MTT, MTT ET-50 tissue viability assay, MTT assay, Mucous secretion, Nasal, Nasal drug delivery, Permeability, TEER, TER, Tracheal