Population Council Research that makes a difference

The Population Council is collaborating with Australian pharmaceutical firm Acrux Limited in developing a novel transdermal spray delivery system for Nestorone®, a synthetic progestin.

This technology effectively forms a depot within the skin from which drug is slowly absorbed into the circulation over a period of time. A Phase 1 study of a spray delivering Nestorone was recently completed. The goal of the study was to determine the amount of Nestorone taken up into the bloodstream after a single dose and after multiple doses of the spray. It is hoped that these results will eventually lead to a contraceptive formulation delivering Nestorone in combination with estradiol. This would represent the first non-oral contraceptive delivering natural estradiol. One advantage of this approach is that the risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots) is four times lower with transdermal delivery of estradiol versus oral delivery. In addition, the spray technology utilizes a relatively low-cost approach.

Previous dose-finding studies of Nestorone delivered via a transdermal gel indicated that a sufficient amount of the molecule can be delivered through the skin to inhibit ovulation.

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Related project: Transdermal Delivery Systems for Women: Contraceptive Gel