Biography
Emeritus Professor at Paris-Saclay University, Patrick COUVREUR is a member of the Academy of Sciences and chair of the Committee “Evaluation and Open Science” of this Academy. He held the “Liliane Bettencourt Technological Innovations” chair at the Collège de France.
His research focuses on the design and development of nanomedicines for oncology and neurological diseases treatments. He is the founder of three startups, one of which, Bioalliance, went public and developed a nanomedicine that reached the end of phase III clinical trials for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma.
Patrick COUVREUR has received numerous scientific distinctions in France (Prix Galien, Médaille de l’Innovation du CNRS, Grand Prix de Chimie Achille Le Bel…) and abroad (Host Madsen Medal, European Inventor Award, Acta Biomaterialia Gold Medal, CRS Founder Award…) ; he is an honorary doctorate from several foreign universities.
In addition to the Academy of Sciences, he is also a member in France of the National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Technologies, and was the 2020 President of the National Academy of Pharmacy.
Abroad, he is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (USA), the National Academy of Engineering (USA), the Royal Academy of Medicine (Belgium), the Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia (Spain), and the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (Japan).
Topic
Nano- and microtechnologies for the oral delivery of peptides
The oral delivery of peptides and proteins remains a major challenge due to their susceptibility to gastrointestinal enzymatic degradation, limited diffusion through the glycocalyx, and rapid systemic clearance.
This presentation will highlight how nano- and microscale formulations can help overcome these barriers. Encapsulation may protect peptides from enzymatic degradation, while tuning particle size, surface charge, and hydrophilicity can enhance diffusion through the mucus layer. Bioadhesive nanoformulations capable of adhering to the intestinal mucosa, where peptide absorption is most favorable, will also be discussed. In addition, nanoparticle functionalization with specific ligands, such as goblet cell–targeting peptides, vitamin B12, or immunoglobulin Fc fragments, will be presented.
Finally, the use of absorption promoters to enhance oral peptide bioavailability and their potential side effects will be briefly addressed.