WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.459 All right, get ready, because today, we're diving 00:00:02.459 --> 00:00:05.700 deep into drug formulation and delivery. Oh, 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:07.860 this is a good one. Right. It's like you swallow 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:09.460 a pill and just kind of assume, well, it just 00:00:09.460 --> 00:00:12.000 works, right? Yeah, you don't think about all 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:14.960 that goes into getting it to actually work. But 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:18.000 turns out, getting that medicine from the lab, 00:00:18.140 --> 00:00:20.339 like a scientist's bench, all the way into your 00:00:20.339 --> 00:00:22.719 system so it can actually do something, it's 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:24.920 way more complicated. Way more. It's definitely 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:27.600 not just like grinding something up and throwing 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:30.420 it in a capsule. No. Not at all. It's pretty 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:32.579 fascinating, actually. So in this deep dive, 00:00:32.619 --> 00:00:36.100 we're going to uncover this hidden world of drug 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:39.820 formulation and delivery. Yes, we are. And it 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:42.700 really is this crucial step between that lab 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:45.240 discovery and a treatment that you take that 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:47.659 actually makes you better. Yeah, I think of it 00:00:47.659 --> 00:00:49.159 kind of like, you know, you can have the most 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:51.840 talented musician in the world. OK. But if they 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:53.759 don't have the right instrument or their sound 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:56.500 system isn't set up correctly. They can't share 00:00:56.500 --> 00:00:58.039 their music. Exactly. They can't share their 00:00:58.039 --> 00:01:00.299 music. I love that analogy. So we have some sources 00:01:00.299 --> 00:01:02.579 for this deep dive. We have a textbook about 00:01:02.579 --> 00:01:04.760 pharmaceutical product development. OK. And then 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.859 we also have a chapter focusing specifically 00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:10.400 on pharmacokinetics. Nice. And I think what's 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.299 interesting here is that both of them emphasize 00:01:13.299 --> 00:01:16.439 this one major goal that scientists have. What's 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:19.599 that? Which is getting that active ingredient, 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:21.840 that essential drug molecule, to the right place 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.159 in your body at the right concentration and for 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:26.879 the right amount of time. Right and they're the 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:28.939 scientists are trying to do this right and how 00:01:28.939 --> 00:01:31.099 they achieve it really depends on the delivery 00:01:31.099 --> 00:01:33.760 method Okay, like we all know pills we know injections, 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:37.760 but have you ever stopped to think why? Some 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.219 medications come in one form versus the other 00:01:40.699 --> 00:01:43.280 I really haven't actually. Yeah, it turns out 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.980 that the delivery method has a huge impact on 00:01:45.980 --> 00:01:47.799 how much of the drug actually gets into your 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:50.599 system. Okay. And this is what's called bioavailability. 00:01:51.140 --> 00:01:53.939 Bioavailability. So is that kind of why sometimes 00:01:53.939 --> 00:01:55.599 I feel like when I take a medication, it's like, 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:59.060 is this thing even working? Yes. That's exactly 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:01.680 why. So think about it this way. When you swallow 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.200 a pill, it has to survive a lot, right? It's 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:07.359 got to survive your stomach acid, those digestive 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.830 enzymes. Yeah, your whole digestive system. Exactly. 00:02:10.110 --> 00:02:12.590 Before it can even be absorbed into your bloodstream. 00:02:13.389 --> 00:02:16.370 Whereas an injection kind of bypasses all of 00:02:16.370 --> 00:02:19.229 that, right? Delivers the drug directly into 00:02:19.229 --> 00:02:22.150 your circulation. Oh, so it's more direct. So 00:02:22.150 --> 00:02:24.509 with an intravenous injection, you're getting 00:02:24.509 --> 00:02:29.090 100 % bioavailability. Wow. Meaning the entire 00:02:29.090 --> 00:02:31.509 dose is getting into your system. That makes 00:02:31.509 --> 00:02:34.289 a lot of sense. You know, needles aren't always 00:02:34.289 --> 00:02:37.009 the most practical or comfortable option, right? 00:02:37.030 --> 00:02:39.210 Right, yeah, needles, yeah, no thanks. But oral 00:02:39.210 --> 00:02:42.169 medications, you know, they win for convenience 00:02:42.169 --> 00:02:45.250 and patient ease, for sure. They do. But they 00:02:45.250 --> 00:02:47.110 present challenges when it comes to formulation 00:02:47.110 --> 00:02:49.710 because of that whole complex journey through 00:02:49.710 --> 00:02:52.469 the digestive system. Yeah, I can see how that 00:02:52.469 --> 00:02:54.349 would be tricky. Yeah. Well, the textbook actually 00:02:54.349 --> 00:02:56.409 highlighted a really interesting example of this. 00:02:56.449 --> 00:02:59.090 Oh, what's that? They were talking about an antifungal 00:02:59.090 --> 00:03:03.069 medication called grizofulvin. Oh. And scientists 00:03:03.069 --> 00:03:04.990 discovered that if they made the drug crystals 00:03:04.990 --> 00:03:08.330 super tiny, like ultramicrocrystalline is what 00:03:08.330 --> 00:03:11.159 they call it. Wow. the absorption increased by 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:13.800 one and a half times. Wow, that's a big difference. 00:03:13.939 --> 00:03:16.879 I know, right? That's huge! So that means patients 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:19.219 could take lower doses for the same effect. And 00:03:19.219 --> 00:03:21.759 that could potentially mean minimizing those 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:24.259 side effects. Exactly. Wow, so that just shows 00:03:24.259 --> 00:03:26.800 how powerful these little tweaks to a formulation 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:28.819 can be. That's wild, I never would have thought 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:30.840 about that. Yeah, it's just the tip of the iceberg, 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.349 though. Oh no. Remember, our bodies are amazingly 00:03:34.349 --> 00:03:36.289 efficient at getting rid of things they don't 00:03:36.289 --> 00:03:39.169 recognize. They are, they are. So that's where 00:03:39.169 --> 00:03:42.550 this concept of ADME comes in. Okay, ADME, what 00:03:42.550 --> 00:03:45.530 is that? It stands for absorption, distribution, 00:03:45.930 --> 00:03:48.610 metabolism, and excretion. Okay, so it's like 00:03:48.610 --> 00:03:50.610 the four horsemen of drugs in your body. Yeah, 00:03:50.629 --> 00:03:54.110 exactly. So these four processes, they determine 00:03:54.110 --> 00:03:56.770 the fate of any drug that enters your body. Okay, 00:03:56.789 --> 00:03:58.448 let's break this down a little bit because... 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:00.860 ADME, it sounds like a pretty important concept. 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.319 It is. So absorption, that's like the first step, 00:04:03.340 --> 00:04:06.039 right? Yeah. Yeah. Imagine a drug molecule as 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:09.139 a tiny traveler, right? OK. And it's on this 00:04:09.139 --> 00:04:12.939 mission. to reach a specific destination in your 00:04:12.939 --> 00:04:16.899 body. Absorption is like getting through customs. 00:04:17.660 --> 00:04:20.420 How easily the drug gets from its point of entry, 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:22.879 whether that's your stomach or a muscle, into 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:25.540 your bloodstream. Oh, so a pill has to go through 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:28.100 customs at the digestive border. Exactly. Whereas 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:30.399 an injection gets a fast pass right into the 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.639 country. Exactly. I like that. OK, so we're through 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:34.459 customs. Now what? Now we're talking distribution. 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:38.019 This is all about how the drug navigates the 00:04:38.019 --> 00:04:40.060 transportation system within your body. So your 00:04:40.060 --> 00:04:42.480 blood vessels, your tissues, your organs. Making 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.699 sure the drug doesn't take a wrong turn. Exactly. 00:04:44.819 --> 00:04:47.399 And then comes metabolism. This is where things 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:50.560 get even more interesting. Your body, particularly 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.379 your liver, it's like this super efficient processing 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:56.839 plant. OK. So it sees the drug as a foreign substance 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:59.100 and starts breaking it down into these smaller 00:04:59.100 --> 00:05:01.379 inactive pieces. So it's like our body's trying 00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:04.139 to detoxify. Exactly. OK. So those smaller pieces 00:05:04.139 --> 00:05:06.860 are called metabolites. And that brings us to... 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:09.279 to excretion, that final stage, which is all 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:12.180 about removing the drug, or really it's metabolites, 00:05:12.459 --> 00:05:15.079 from your body, mainly through your kidneys and 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:19.899 urine. So ADME, is it really like a complex obstacle 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:24.040 course for these drugs? Yes. Scientists are trying 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:26.480 to design formulations to help the drug navigate 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:28.319 the course successfully. You got it. That's a 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.500 great way to put it. And that's where the ingenuity 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:32.680 of the formulation scientists really comes in. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.540 They're like the coaches. Yes. They're using 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:39.319 their understanding of ADME to enhance a drug's 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:41.699 chances of reaching its target and actually producing 00:05:41.699 --> 00:05:44.040 the desired effect. Wow. So it's really like 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.660 a whole team effort. It is. And one way they 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:49.199 do that is by manipulating something pretty simple 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.579 as particle size. Particle size. OK. How does 00:05:51.579 --> 00:05:53.629 the size of a of the shrug particle matter. Well, 00:05:53.629 --> 00:05:55.250 think about it like this. If you're trying to 00:05:55.250 --> 00:05:59.910 dissolve a sugar cube in water, it's going to 00:05:59.910 --> 00:06:02.589 dissolve a lot slower than a spoonful of granulated 00:06:02.589 --> 00:06:05.029 sugar. Yeah, for sure. Right. And that's because 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:07.769 the smaller particles, they have a much greater 00:06:07.769 --> 00:06:10.529 surface area exposed to the water. So it dissolves 00:06:10.529 --> 00:06:13.930 quicker. Exactly. So smaller drug particles dissolve 00:06:13.930 --> 00:06:16.949 faster, meaning they can get absorbed into the 00:06:16.949 --> 00:06:19.050 bloodstream more quickly. OK, that makes sense. 00:06:19.189 --> 00:06:22.269 And a classic example of this is the heart medication 00:06:22.269 --> 00:06:25.889 digoxin. Digoxin, OK. Its absorption can vary 00:06:25.889 --> 00:06:28.470 a lot, depending on how finely it's milled. So 00:06:28.470 --> 00:06:30.649 if the particles are too big, it might not get 00:06:30.649 --> 00:06:32.250 absorbed properly. Exactly. You wouldn't get 00:06:32.250 --> 00:06:34.970 the full effect of the drug. Wow. But particle 00:06:34.970 --> 00:06:36.870 size, that's just one thing, right? Just one 00:06:36.870 --> 00:06:39.009 piece of the puzzle, yeah. So what else are these 00:06:39.009 --> 00:06:40.850 scientists doing? They've got a whole arsenal 00:06:40.850 --> 00:06:43.569 of tricks. They're adding other ingredients called 00:06:43.569 --> 00:06:46.529 excipients. These can do things like enhance 00:06:46.529 --> 00:06:49.370 solubility, protect the drug from degradation, 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:52.230 or even control its release over time. It's like 00:06:52.230 --> 00:06:55.009 a supporting cast for the drug. Exactly. Working 00:06:55.009 --> 00:06:57.870 behind the scenes to make sure that drug delivers 00:06:57.870 --> 00:07:01.209 a star performance. I like that. OK, so what 00:07:01.209 --> 00:07:03.069 are some examples of these excipients? What do 00:07:03.069 --> 00:07:06.470 they do? Well, some of them, they act as buffers 00:07:06.470 --> 00:07:10.779 to help control the pH. The pH. Of the drug formulation. 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:13.620 And this is really important for drugs that are 00:07:13.620 --> 00:07:16.860 taken orally. OK. Because they need to withstand 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:19.699 that acidic environment of the stomach. Right. 00:07:19.699 --> 00:07:21.360 You don't want it to break down before it's even 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:24.000 had a chance to work. Exactly. And then some 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:26.420 other recipients can act as coatings. Coatings, 00:07:26.420 --> 00:07:28.740 OK. That protect the drug from moisture or light, 00:07:28.899 --> 00:07:31.279 things like that. OK. And some can even be designed 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.600 to control the rate at which the drug is released. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:36.120 Oh, interesting. Yeah. So you can have extended 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.959 release formulations. That's cool. so much strategy 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.279 goes into this. Here it is. It's not just about 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:43.759 the active ingredient itself, it's all the other 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:45.680 players on the team. Right, and that's where 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.660 things get really interesting because the science 00:07:47.660 --> 00:07:50.959 of formulation, it can actually be used to improve 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:53.579 existing drugs. To improve existing drugs. Yeah, 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.540 for example, scientists might tweak the formulation 00:07:56.540 --> 00:07:59.379 of a drug to enhance its absorption. Okay. Or 00:07:59.379 --> 00:08:01.939 maybe reduce side effects. So they're like, giving 00:08:01.939 --> 00:08:04.139 it a makeover. Yeah, exactly. So it could perform 00:08:04.139 --> 00:08:06.459 better. Yeah, and those formulation innovations 00:08:06.459 --> 00:08:08.759 can actually be patented. Oh, wow. You know, 00:08:08.899 --> 00:08:12.259 which drives progress in medicine and provides 00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:14.759 patients with better treatment options. Okay, 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.220 well, this brings up something I've always wondered 00:08:16.220 --> 00:08:19.939 about. That's it. Generic drugs. How can we be 00:08:19.939 --> 00:08:24.259 sure that a generic drug works just as well as 00:08:24.259 --> 00:08:27.379 the brand name version? That is a great question, 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:29.459 and that's where bioequivalence studies come 00:08:29.459 --> 00:08:31.800 in. bioequivalent studies, okay? Yeah, they're 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:34.840 designed to demonstrate that a generic drug performs 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.759 similarly to the brand name drug. Okay. In terms 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.019 of its absorption, distribution, metabolism, 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:44.759 and excretion. Oh, so that whole ADME obstacle 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:46.860 course. Exactly, that whole obstacle course. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:49.500 So it's not just about having the same active 00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:52.000 ingredient. No. It's about making sure it behaves 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.220 the same way in the body. Exactly, you got it. 00:08:54.259 --> 00:08:57.179 As the original drug. Yeah, because even slight 00:08:57.179 --> 00:09:00.610 differences in inactive ingredients or the way 00:09:00.610 --> 00:09:04.129 it's manufactured, that can impact the drug's 00:09:04.129 --> 00:09:07.240 performance. So these bioequivalent studies, 00:09:07.580 --> 00:09:10.580 they rigorously compare the generic to the brand 00:09:10.580 --> 00:09:13.639 name to make sure they are essentially interchangeable. 00:09:13.940 --> 00:09:16.299 OK, that's reassuring. That means patients can 00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:18.860 have access to affordable medications without 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:21.779 having to compromise on quality. Right, exactly. 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:24.379 Or effectiveness. It really highlights how critical 00:09:24.379 --> 00:09:28.259 it is to understand formulation and those ADME 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:31.200 processes. Now, speaking of ADME, you mentioned 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.539 something earlier. Oh, yeah. Called the BCS. 00:09:33.539 --> 00:09:36.200 Yeah, the BCS. Yes. What was that again? That's 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:38.840 the biopharmaceutics classification system. Oh, 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:42.379 OK. And it's basically a way scientists categorize 00:09:42.379 --> 00:09:46.240 drugs based on their solubility, solubility, 00:09:46.299 --> 00:09:49.460 how well they dissolve, and permeability. Permeability, 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:52.200 OK. How easily they cross those biological barriers, 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:54.679 like cell membranes and things like that. So 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:57.299 are there different classes of drugs based on 00:09:57.299 --> 00:09:59.620 these properties? There are, yeah. But the most 00:09:59.620 --> 00:10:01.159 important thing to remember is the difference 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:05.059 between highly soluble, highly permeable and 00:10:05.059 --> 00:10:07.740 those that are not so good at one or both. Okay, 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.659 so tell me about the, I guess the superstars. 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:13.539 The superstars. The ones that are both soluble 00:10:13.539 --> 00:10:16.899 and permeable. Yeah, those are like the ideal 00:10:16.899 --> 00:10:19.340 drugs, the ones that dissolve easily and have 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:22.360 no problem crossing those barriers. Okay. So 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:25.279 in the BCS, we call those class one drugs. Class 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:27.820 one drugs. They're the superstars of drug absorption. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.460 Okay, so for those drugs, it's a breeze to get 00:10:30.460 --> 00:10:32.669 into the bloodstream. You could say that, yeah. 00:10:32.830 --> 00:10:35.470 And this is where you said the BCS is relevant 00:10:35.470 --> 00:10:39.049 to generic drugs. Yeah, so remember those bioequivalent 00:10:39.049 --> 00:10:41.389 studies we talked about? Well, for these class 00:10:41.389 --> 00:10:43.590 one drugs, scientists can often use a simpler 00:10:43.590 --> 00:10:47.230 test called a dissolution test. Instead of doing 00:10:47.230 --> 00:10:49.370 the whole study with people. Right, so instead 00:10:49.370 --> 00:10:51.549 of testing it in humans, they can just see how 00:10:51.549 --> 00:10:55.389 well it dissolves in a lab setting. And the FDA, 00:10:55.610 --> 00:10:58.590 they have specific guidelines for this. If the 00:10:58.590 --> 00:11:00.990 generic drug dissolves at the same rate and to 00:11:00.990 --> 00:11:03.629 the same extent as the brand name drug, it's 00:11:03.629 --> 00:11:05.649 considered bio equivalent. Oh, wow. And this 00:11:05.649 --> 00:11:08.789 is a huge win for getting affordable generics 00:11:08.789 --> 00:11:11.529 to market faster. That's amazing. I never realized 00:11:11.529 --> 00:11:14.570 how these properties of a drug could have such 00:11:14.570 --> 00:11:17.330 a big impact on generic medications. Yeah, it's 00:11:17.330 --> 00:11:19.789 a really interesting interplay of science and 00:11:19.789 --> 00:11:23.990 regulation. It's really a testament to how much 00:11:23.990 --> 00:11:26.110 thought and effort goes into making sure that 00:11:26.110 --> 00:11:28.149 all these medications, whether they're brand 00:11:28.149 --> 00:11:31.389 name or generic, are safe and effective for patients. 00:11:31.549 --> 00:11:33.490 This whole deep dive is making me think about 00:11:33.490 --> 00:11:37.549 how our bodies aren't just passive vessels. They're 00:11:37.549 --> 00:11:40.129 dynamic systems that are always changing. and 00:11:40.129 --> 00:11:42.429 responding to different things. So wouldn't that 00:11:42.429 --> 00:11:45.470 affect how a drug is absorbed and distributed? 00:11:45.950 --> 00:11:47.590 That's a great point. You're absolutely right. 00:11:48.289 --> 00:11:50.429 Physiological factors or what's going on inside 00:11:50.429 --> 00:11:52.789 your body play a huge role in drug absorption. 00:11:53.070 --> 00:11:55.090 So the same drug might behave differently in 00:11:55.090 --> 00:11:57.549 different people. Exactly. Things like gastric 00:11:57.549 --> 00:12:00.029 emptying rate. Gastric emptying rate. Okay. So 00:12:00.029 --> 00:12:02.669 how quickly your stomach empties. Intestinal 00:12:02.669 --> 00:12:06.210 transit time. even blood flow to the digestive 00:12:06.210 --> 00:12:09.309 tract, all those things can influence how a drug 00:12:09.309 --> 00:12:12.309 is absorbed. It's like the drug is navigating 00:12:12.309 --> 00:12:15.730 a constantly changing landscape. Yeah. Inside 00:12:15.730 --> 00:12:17.970 our bodies. Yeah. And that landscape can look 00:12:17.970 --> 00:12:20.009 different for everybody. And what about food? 00:12:20.990 --> 00:12:23.889 Oh, yeah, food. That can be a major factor, too. 00:12:24.049 --> 00:12:25.590 Yeah, because I've definitely had the experience 00:12:25.590 --> 00:12:27.909 where, like, I need to take some medications 00:12:27.909 --> 00:12:30.409 on an empty stomach. Right. And some with food. 00:12:30.620 --> 00:12:34.240 Why is that? Yeah, it all comes down to how those 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:36.620 food components interact with the drug's absorption 00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:39.580 process. OK. Sometimes food can enhance absorption, 00:12:39.580 --> 00:12:41.740 but in other cases, it can interfere with it. 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.179 OK. Like what? Give me an example. Well, let's 00:12:44.179 --> 00:12:45.860 talk about grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:48.679 OK. It's notorious for interacting with certain 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:51.120 medications. Yeah, I've heard that. So it contains 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.879 compounds that can inhibit these enzymes in the 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:56.539 gut that are responsible for drug metabolism. 00:12:56.860 --> 00:12:59.279 So it's not just a refreshing drink? No. It's 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.419 like a disruptor it can be of drug metabolism 00:13:02.419 --> 00:13:04.779 yeah so if the drug isn't metabolized as efficiently 00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:06.899 you can end up with higher drug levels in your 00:13:06.899 --> 00:13:09.000 bloodstream so it's like amplifying the effect 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:12.100 exactly so that's why it's so important to understand 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:15.029 food drug interactions right yeah Your health 00:13:15.029 --> 00:13:17.110 care providers need to be aware of these things 00:13:17.110 --> 00:13:19.389 so they can advise their patients. It seems like 00:13:19.389 --> 00:13:22.629 all of this points to how individualized medicine 00:13:22.629 --> 00:13:25.190 is becoming. Yes. It's not a one size fits all 00:13:25.190 --> 00:13:26.850 approach anymore. It's not. You're absolutely 00:13:26.850 --> 00:13:29.269 right. We're moving towards personalized medicine 00:13:29.269 --> 00:13:33.289 where treatments are tailored to your unique 00:13:33.289 --> 00:13:36.830 genetic makeup, your lifestyle, even your dietary 00:13:36.830 --> 00:13:39.190 habits. So factors like, you know, how quickly 00:13:39.190 --> 00:13:41.850 our stomachs empty or how well we metabolize 00:13:41.850 --> 00:13:44.360 certain drugs could influence the medications 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:46.700 and dosages were prescribed. Absolutely. And 00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:48.980 as our understanding of all these individualized 00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:52.259 factors grows, we're going to see more targeted 00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:54.840 and effective drug therapies in the future. Wow. 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:57.059 I'm really seeing the bigger picture here. Yeah. 00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:59.620 It's not just about the drug itself. It's about 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.679 that whole journey through our body. Yeah. And 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:05.059 how so many different factors can influence that. 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:07.700 It's pretty amazing. It is. It is. How much science 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:11.950 goes into something as seemingly as simple as 00:14:11.950 --> 00:14:14.730 taking a pill or getting an injection. Well, 00:14:15.009 --> 00:14:16.769 this deep dive has been eye -opening for me. 00:14:16.909 --> 00:14:18.789 Glad to hear it. Yeah, it really makes you think 00:14:18.789 --> 00:14:21.730 twice of those little pills we take, right? It 00:14:21.730 --> 00:14:23.769 does. And it gets even more complicated when 00:14:23.769 --> 00:14:26.330 we start talking about these larger molecule 00:14:26.330 --> 00:14:30.850 drugs, like protein -based therapies, things 00:14:30.850 --> 00:14:33.529 like monoclonal antibodies. Right. Those are 00:14:33.529 --> 00:14:35.230 becoming pretty important these days. They are. 00:14:35.269 --> 00:14:37.570 They used to treat a lot of different diseases. 00:14:37.610 --> 00:14:41.789 They are. delivering these big complex molecules, 00:14:42.750 --> 00:14:46.309 it's a whole different ballgame. It's like, you 00:14:46.309 --> 00:14:48.649 know, imagine trying to ship a really fragile 00:14:48.649 --> 00:14:51.149 antique across the country. OK, I'm listening. 00:14:51.529 --> 00:14:54.429 You got to pack it really carefully. That's kind 00:14:54.429 --> 00:14:56.250 of what it's like with these large molecule drugs. 00:14:56.330 --> 00:14:58.549 They need special care and handling. Because 00:14:58.549 --> 00:15:00.289 they're so much bigger than those small molecule 00:15:00.289 --> 00:15:02.009 drugs we were talking about earlier. Exactly. 00:15:02.129 --> 00:15:05.960 They can be. They can break down easily. They're 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:08.659 degraded by enzymes in the body, and they have 00:15:08.659 --> 00:15:10.620 a harder time getting through those cell barriers. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.039 It's like trying to fit a square pig in a round 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:15.539 hole. Yeah, kind of. It's just not going to work 00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:18.259 without some creative solutions. So what are 00:15:18.259 --> 00:15:21.080 scientists doing? Well, that's where these innovative 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:24.100 delivery systems come in, like nanoparticles 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:26.519 and microspheres. Nanoparticles and microspheres. 00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:29.370 Those sound pretty fancy. They are. So think 00:15:29.370 --> 00:15:32.529 of them as these tiny little protective capsules. 00:15:32.529 --> 00:15:36.110 OK. They they basically encapsulate the drug 00:15:36.110 --> 00:15:39.549 and shield it. So it doesn't break down. Exactly. 00:15:39.610 --> 00:15:42.029 They keep it safe from being broken down before 00:15:42.029 --> 00:15:44.049 it reaches its target. So going back to your 00:15:44.049 --> 00:15:46.289 antique analogy, it's like giving it a custom 00:15:46.289 --> 00:15:50.169 designed crate. Yes. And like a team of expert 00:15:50.169 --> 00:15:52.289 movers to make sure it gets there in one piece. 00:15:52.529 --> 00:15:54.610 Exactly. And these delivery systems, they're 00:15:54.610 --> 00:15:56.509 already being used for a lot of different things. 00:15:56.629 --> 00:15:59.379 Like what? like cancer treatments, vaccines. 00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:02.539 It's really changing how we give these powerful 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:04.639 medications. So it's getting really specific 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:07.399 and customized. It is. It's all about finding 00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:09.720 the perfect way to get those molecules where 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:12.059 they need to go. And I bet technology is playing 00:16:12.059 --> 00:16:14.419 a huge role in all of this. It is. Technology 00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:16.759 is really transforming the field of drug delivery. 00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:19.600 Yeah. We're seeing so many advancements in 3D 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.039 printing, microneedles. It's incredible. Like 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:24.860 3D printing for medicine? Yeah. So imagine your 00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:28.080 doctor prescribes you a medication, but instead 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.370 of going to the pharmacy, Mm -hmm. They just 00:16:30.370 --> 00:16:32.750 point it right there in the office. No way. Tailored 00:16:32.750 --> 00:16:34.990 just for you. So we could have personalized doses? 00:16:35.409 --> 00:16:37.750 Exactly. And then there are micro needles. Why, 00:16:38.029 --> 00:16:40.129 crew needles? Okay. These are tiny, painless 00:16:40.129 --> 00:16:42.429 needles that deliver drugs through the skin. 00:16:42.830 --> 00:16:45.509 So no more painful injections. It's definitely 00:16:45.509 --> 00:16:47.649 a lot less intimidating, which could help people 00:16:47.649 --> 00:16:50.570 take their meds as prescribed. That's huge, especially 00:16:50.570 --> 00:16:52.590 for people who are afraid of needles. Yeah, it 00:16:52.590 --> 00:16:54.110 could really make a difference. It's amazing 00:16:54.110 --> 00:16:56.750 how far we've come with drug delivery. It is. 00:16:56.909 --> 00:16:59.330 From changing particle size to these high -tech 00:16:59.330 --> 00:17:01.830 delivery systems, it's really incredible. It 00:17:01.830 --> 00:17:04.829 really shows you the ingenuity and dedication 00:17:04.829 --> 00:17:08.410 of these scientists who are working to improve 00:17:08.410 --> 00:17:10.430 people's health. So next time we take any kind 00:17:10.430 --> 00:17:12.329 of medicine, we should remember all the amazing 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:14.799 science that went into it. Absolutely. It's not 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:17.339 as simple as it seems. Well, this deep dive has 00:17:17.339 --> 00:17:19.700 definitely given me a whole new perspective on 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:22.299 the world of drug formulation and delivery. Me 00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:24.740 too. It's a fascinating field. And who knows 00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:26.480 what the future holds. Yeah, there's so much 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.720 more to discover. Well, thanks for joining me 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.000 on this deep dive. It was my pleasure. And to 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:32.940 our listeners, stay curious.