Salcaprozate Sodium (SNAC): A Multifunctional Absorption Enhancer for Oral Macromolecular Drug Delivery
Salcaprozate Sodium (SNAC): A Multifunctional Absorption Enhancer for Oral Macromolecular Drug Delivery
May 23, 2025
Salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) is an innovative oral absorption enhancer with the following mechanisms and applications:
1. Enhancing Oral Drug Absorption (1)Lipophilicity Modulation: Forms non-covalent macromolecular complexes with drugs, significantly improving lipophilicity to promote passive transcellular permeation across intestinal epithelial cells. (2)Macromolecular Drug Delivery: Particularly effective for peptides/proteins (e.g., heparin, insulin), overcoming low oral bioavailability limitations. 2. Drug Protection and Stability Enhancement (1)Anti-degradation Effects: Creates localized high-pH microenvironments in the stomach to inhibit pepsin-mediated drug degradation. (2)Structural Stabilization: Preserves drug conformation through intermolecular interactions, reducing enzymatic hydrolysis risks in the gastrointestinal tract. 3. Clinical Applications (1)Octreotide Enteric-coated Capsules: Enables the first oral formulation for acromegaly treatment (Mycapssa®) through synergy with medium-chain fatty acids. (2)Oral Semaglutide: Achieves comparable efficacy to injectable formulations via gastric mucosa-absorbing complexes. 4. Safety Advantages (1)Non-covalent Binding: Physically enhances permeability without chemical interactions with drugs. (2)Broad Applicability: Demonstrated efficacy in UVA/UVB absorption, extendable to topical formulations.
SNAC's molecular mechanism establishes it as a key technology for oral peptide drug delivery, driving innovations in chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes, obesity).