To give participants an in-depth overview of the gastrointestinal tract, human digestion and absorption system and to present methodologies and models for optimized oral delivery of drugs and functional components.

Although oral drug delivery is the most common and convenient way for patients to take medicine, the existence of a variety of enzymes and barriers in the gastrointestinal tract presents a challenge. When optimizing oral drug delivery systems, it is important to have a fundamental knowledge of digestive processes and the impact of intestinal fluid composition, microbiota, as well as the intestinal immune system and barriers on the stability, dissolution and absorption of drugs. In addition, selecting suitable methodology and in vitro models for oral drug delivery will ensure success for in vitro and in vivo correlations.

The lectures will cover the following key topics:

• Organoleptic assessment of oral products
• Gastrointestinal physiology
• Characterization of gastric and intestinal fluids
• Hydrodynamic conditions in the gastrointestinal tract and effect on transit time
• Effect of food intake on transit time and gastrointestinal fluids
• Understanding of digestive processes, enzymatic, pH-dependent, etc.
• Mucosal barrier in gastrointestinal tract
• Use of enhancers to increase absorption of nutrients and drugs
• Lipid digestion, absorption and metabolism
• Solubilization and emulsification of nutrients and pharmaceutical drugs
• Encapsulation of nutrients and drugs
• The gut microbiota – species and functionalities
• Targeting and site-specific delivery
• Delivery to the colon 
• Regional absorption and controlled release
• Drug formulation principles
• Suitable animal models for studies of human digestion and absorption
• In vitro models simulating the digestion

The five-day course comprises about 25 lectures and group work.

5 to 9 March 2012.

4 ECTS credit points (European Credit Transfer System).

95 working hours (30 for preparation, 25 for course, and 40 for report and evaluation).

Associate Professors Anette Müllertz, Daniel Bar-Shalom and Huiling Mu, Department of Pharmaceutics and Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Total course fee: DKK 7,600 (including lunch),

of which operating costs: DKK 900.

1 February 2012.

25 participants.

The course will be held in English.

We thank Øresund Food, Sund Vækst and European Regional Development Fund for financial support to develop the course.