To create a novel class of oral platforms capable of delivering protein-based drugs like insulin, researchers are working on "bioadhesive" coatings that increase intestinal uptake in a controlled way. Scientists at Brown University published a study in the Journal of Controlled Release that demonstrates the use of nanoparticles encapsulated in a chemical coating called PBMAD, which has bioadhesive properties and can withstand the acidic environment of the stomach, according to a Brown report. In animal studies, more than 80% of the payload went to the liver and another 10% to the kidneys. "Bioerodible nanoparticles are what we would ultimately like to use to deliver proteins," said lead researcher Edith Mathiowitz." The question we address in this paper is how much we can deliver. The numbers we saw make the goal more feasible." Report