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Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry (2001) 33, (85–89) (Printed in Great Britain)

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Erythrocyte-mediated delivery of dexamethasone in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Luigia Rossi*, Sonja Serafini*, Luigi Cenerini†, Francesco Picardi†, Leonardo Bigi‡, Ivo Panzani‡ and Mauro Magnani*¹

*Istituto di Chimica Biologica 'G. Fornaini', Università degli Studi di Urbino, Via Saffi 2, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy, †Ospedale 'Fraternita di S. Maria della Misericordia', Via Bonconte da Montefeltro, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy, and ‡Di.De.Co. S.p.A., Via Statale 12 Nord, 41037 Mirandola (MO), Italy

Abbreviations used: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 s.

¹ To whom correspondence should be sent (e-mail magnani@bib.uniurb.it).

Human erythrocytes from ten patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were loaded with increasing amounts of dexamethasone 21-phosphate and were re-infused into the original donors. Drug-loaded erythrocytes acted as circulating bioreactors, converting the non-diffusible dexamethasone 21-phosphate into the diffusible dexamethasone. Pharmacokinetic analyses on these patients showed that a single administration of drug-loaded erythrocytes was able to maintain detectable dexamethasone concentrations in blood for up to seven days. This continuous release of dexamethasone was paralleled by the suspension of b₂-agonist and oral corticosteroid treatments by all of the patients.Thus dexamethasone 21-phosphate-loaded erythrocytes are safe carriers for corticosteroid analogues and are a useful alternative to frequent oral or inhaled drugs in elderly patients with COPD.

Received 15 November 2000; accepted 4 December 2000

Portland Press Ltd © 2001