With the first “Interdisciplinary Research Project” supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of the Istanbul University, the first research patent was taken by the right owners, one of which is the Istanbul University.

The project consists of 3 disciplines. The units of the project include Chemical Engineering, Reproduction and Artificial Insemination and Pharmaceutical Technology.

After the filing of the patent application, oral presentation was made at a national congress; poster presentations and one article were presented at two international congresses.

“We are Taking Great Steps towards Becoming a Research University”

Academic member of IU Chemical Engineering Department Prof. Dr. Saadet K. Pabuccuoğlu and academic member of IU Veterinary Faculty Prof. Dr. Serhat Pabuccuoglu, presented the examined patent document to IU Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak on May 24, 2016.

IU Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak stated that Istanbul University made great strides towards becoming a research university and said, "Our University, which successfully represents our country in scientific fields by producing value-added projects, is an important building block in the international competition. This is the best evidence showing that we have collected the results of our work on patent documents. I congratulate all of our faculty members. There is no doubt that our university is going to achieve many more of these successes".

“Biocompatible Vaginal Tablets Will Be Produced”

Project manager Prof. Dr. Saadet K. Pabuccuoğlu, who gives information about the purpose of the invention said, "The aim is to produce biocompatible tablets that have the ability of adhesion to the modified starch-based mucosa in order to control the progesterone hormone, the rutting and reproductive activities and “estrus synchronization” in sheep vaginally. For this purpose, as a carrier system for the agent, copolymers were synthesized and characterized using biocompatible, non-toxic and mucoadhesive biopolymer-based starch. The availability of these products was first examined in the field of veterinary medicine; in the formulations of vaginal tablets used in sheep."

Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoğlu said that chemical reactions were carried out in order to make sure that starch types that are found in our country such as corn, wheat, potatoes and rice have the properties required to be used as vaginal tablets. He said that for the first time these products were thiolated using different thiolation reagents, then continued, “All the synthesized products were characterized and cytotoxicity tests were performed. Tablets that are adhesive to the hormone containing mucosa were made with the selected products. In vitro tests were performed with these tablets. The tablets containing the progesterone hormone prepared using these synthesized products were applied vaginally to the sheep. The obtained in vivo hormone release profiles were compared with the two commercial products used for sheep in the market."

“Drug Delivery Apparatuses are Frequently Used”

Indicating that today, controlled drug delivery apparatuses, placed in vagina, containing natural or synthetic progesterone are frequently used in vagina to control the reproductive activities in animal breeding and to provide "oestrus synchronization" especially in the livestock, Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoğlu said, "The most commonly used of these are 60 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate that is a synthetic progesterone placed in vaginas of sheep to ensure oestrus synchronization, and sponges soaked in progesterone such as Fluorogestone acetate (30-40 mg for sheep and 45 mg for goats) that are commercialized under various names such as Syncron Sponge or SyncroPart".

“Economic Contribution to Animal Breeding”

After the vaginal sponges are placed in the vagina, they are usually held in the vagina for 14 days. Indicating that in this process, depending on the irritation which may occur though very rarely, complications happen and sponges fall, and in the cases of clear hymen and narrow channel, some problems may occur while placing the sponges, Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoglu said "We also encounter some complications and difficulties while we try to remove the sponge after a certain period. Another device used for the same purpose, which can be applied to the vagina, CIDR, should contain 1.38 g or 1.9 g of progesterone when applied to cows and 300 mg when applied to sheep. When this device is used, application and removal operations are carried out in the vagina similar to the sponge application; therefore the same problems may occur. In addition, during these operations, particularly when operating on herds, there is a significant amount of work that should be done." Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoğlu mentioned the need to develop alternative mucoadhesive and non-toxic drug delivery systems which may remove the disadvantages of the previous systems used and are highly efficient and easy to apply, and continued, "We developed a biodegradable vaginal mucoadhesive tablets containing 75 mg of progesterone that are easily applied as a single tablet into the vagina once for each animal. The tablet has the ability of adhesion to the vagina wall via bloating. The progesterone is released and the gel part is ejaculated with the vaginal fluid. Therefore, as this system does not require a process of removing like the currently used commercial systems do, it will provide economic contribution to the field of animal breeding."

Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoğlu indicated that the main disadvantages of the systems used previously in the veterinary field to provide oestrus synchronization might be abolished by these new inventions. He also commented, "It also provides methods for the design, manufacture and use of drug delivery vaginal tablet formulations which may be alternatives to these systems and which are convenient in practice." Prof. Dr. Pabuccuoglu concluded his statement as follows: "The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical carrier for the administration of a pharmaceutical agent and hormone to a human or animal that is in need, and has the ability to be converted into a suitable pharmaceutical formulation which can be used for the mentioned purposes after the clinical trials are carried out."

Among the assistant researchers of the project are academic member of IU Faculty of Engineering Department of Chemical Engineering Assist. Prof. Mehmet Koray Gök; academic members of IU Faculty of Veterinary Prof. Dr. Serhat Pabuccuoğlu and Assoc. Prof. Kamber Demir; academic member of Dicle University Faculty of Veterinary Prof. Dr. Ümüt Cirit; from the Biopharm Vaccine Pharmaceutical Industry Assoc. Prof. Süleyman Bacınoğlu (Biopharm Vaccine Pharmaceutical Industry and Trade Co. Ltd.) and academic members of IU Faculty of Pharmacy Prof. Dr. Yıldız Özsoy Erginer and Prof. Dr. Erdal Cevher. A second patent application relating to this invention was also made to the European Patent Office (EPO). It is currently in the process of being reviewed.

Translated by Eda AYDEMİR

IU Department of Press and Public Relations