Watertown company aims to change the way we take medicine

BOSTON – Anyone who’s ever had to take meds once a day or several times a day knows how hard it is to remember to stay on track. But Lindra Therapeutics, a Watertown biopharmaceutical company, has developed a technology that allows a patient to take her medication only once a week or once a month.

Patients swallow one capsule about the size of a multivitamin. Upon reaching the acidic environment of the stomach, the outer coating dissolves, revealing hidden arms that slowly release certain drugs over time. will be

Lyndra Therapeutics CEO Trish Huter, Ph.D. “But it’s very difficult to change human nature and behavior, so we’re taking a very different approach and instead of trying to get patients to change their behavior, let’s change the pill and make it easier for them. It is said that

So far, the company has tested the technology with about 300 study participants, with initial success in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, who often face medication compliance issues. increase. But the technology could eventually be used for any oral treatment, including heart medications, diabetes drugs, antibiotics, and oral contraceptives. They hope to make these long-acting tablets available to patients within a few years.

Marika Marshall, M.D.

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and physician who has been a HealthWatch reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. Dr. Marshall, a licensed practitioner in both internal medicine and pediatrics, has served on the staff of Harvard Medical School and MGH Chelsea. and is now on the front line of care. For patients with COVID-19. She is also the host and contributing editor of Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing arm of the Harvard Medical School.