Developing novel healthcare approaches to cater to both personal and collective wellness needs
Taking Patient Care to the Next Level: The Innovative Approach of Giovanni Traverso
Struggling with medication adherence and disease management? undefined, the Karl Van Tassel Career Development Professor and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, as well as a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), is working hard to revolutionize patient care.
Let's face it, maintaining good health is no easy task. Factors like early diagnosis, sticking to prescription schedules, and managing chronic diseases all play a significant role in achieving better health outcomes. However, these factors can often be hindered by external forces such as non-compliance with medication and misdiagnosis of symptoms.
Enter Giovanni Traverso, a unique blend of a physician and an engineer. "Merging the two domains is what truly can help speed up and transform our ability to develop new biomedical devices or therapies for a wide range of conditions," he explains. "As doctors, we are incredibly lucky to be able to help individuals. As scientists and engineers, we not only have the ability to help individuals, but we can also impact populations."
Innovative Solutions for Better Patient Care
Traverso and his team are focused on developing a suite of groundbreaking solutions designed to improve medication adherence and supercharge patient care.
Sustained-Release Gastrointestinal Devices
One of Traverso's flagship innovations is a star-shaped ingestible device that can remain in the stomach for up to a week, releasing medication gradually. Initially developed at MIT, this device has since been refined by Lyndra Therapeutics. The device's foldable arms expand in the stomach, preventing it from passing through the pylorus. Once the arms break off, each one releases medication at a consistent rate, making it possible for patients to take their medication only once a week. This approach has shown promising results in clinical trials for schizophrenia, demonstrating comparable efficiency to daily oral dosing [1][2].
Benefits of sustained-release systems include improved patient adherence, reduced blood level variability, and added convenience for those who struggle with daily medication regimens [2].
Oleogel-Based Drug Delivery
Another one of Traverso's game-changing innovations is an oleogel platform that takes inspiration from the food industry. Developed by his team, this system combines edible oils, gelling agents such as beeswax or rice bran wax, solubilizers, and active drugs to create a gel or gummy-like medication. What's more, this medication can be administered easily, does not require clean water, and remains stable even in warm climates. This innovation is particularly valuable in resource-poor settings where refrigeration and clean water may not be readily available [3].
Manufacturing is a snap, as it simply involves heating and mixing the ingredients, followed by cooling to form the gel [3].
Addressing Global Health Challenges
Traverso's groundbreaking work tackles critical challenges in global health, including medication adherence and access to care in impoverished regions. His innovations draw from expertise in mechanical engineering and medicine to create real-world solutions for drug delivery and administration [2][3].
A Brighter Future for Patient Care
Traverso's team is currently preparing the sustained-release capsule for Phase I trials for additional drugs, such as contraceptives, expanding its therapeutic potential [2]. The oleogel platform is also being explored for application with various medications, with the goal of improving access and adherence in diverse environments [3].
In a world where healthcare challenges are ever-evolving, Traverso and his team are paving the way for a future that offers tangible solutions to better patient care.
Giovanni Traverso's innovative approach bridges engineering, science, and medical-conditions – particularly chronic diseases – to revolutionize patient care in health-and-wellness. As part of his research, he's developing a suite of solutions, such as sustained-release gastrointestinal devices and oleogel-based drug delivery, to address challenges in medication adherence, improve patient outcomes, and increase access to care, even in resource-poor settings.
Combining the power of both fields, Traverso's work holds the potential to create lasting solutions that not only impact individuals but entire populations, reshaping healthcare for a brighter future.
