STTR Phase I: Steroid-eluting thread for the treatment of rhinitis

The broader impact/commercial potential of this this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is a novel, minimally invasive, surgical option for reducing complications and improving outcomes for rhinitis patients. A bioabsorbable, steroid-eluting suture and surgical implant procedure will be developed to improve outcomes for 6 million patients suffering from rhinitis under the care of otolaryngologists, or ear, nose and throat specialists. The proposed suture system and surgical suite implant procedure enables a temporary therapy that replaces the need for current chronic, daily, topical sprays and/or long-term immunotherapy with a single in-office visit. The bioabsorbable, drug-eluting platform also provides potential extensibility for eluting other medications including antibiotic and antifungal therapies. This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project aims to deliver a prototype steroid-eluting dissolvable thread with an introducing surgical tool. The project is comprised of several steps including the formulation of dissolvable polymers, and prototyping using Hot Melt Extrusion (HME). This effort will advance the platform design and development of optimized drug-elution thread for use in the nasal cavity. The system will be designed using the preferred steroid of mometasone furoate and characterized for drug elution properties in a preclinical animal model. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.