IMPROVED BILE ACID ADSORBENTS

BECAUSE OF NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF BILE ACIDS AND OTHER NUTRIENT MILIEU IN THE SMALL INTESTINE AND NEW BIOENGINEERING APPROACHES TO MORE EFFICIENT RESINS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENORMOUSLY IMPROVED BILE ACID ADSORBENTS SHOULD NOW BE POSSIBLE. THEIRDEVELOPMENT SHOULD INCREASE THE USE OF THIS MEANS OF LOWERING SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND SHOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON THE TREATMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS. THE AIM OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL ADSORBENTS FOR ADSORBING BILE ACIDS FROM THE DIGESTIVE TRACT WHICH WILLAVOID THE UNDESIRABLE SIDE EFFECTS AND INCONVENIENCE OF THE PRESENT THERAPEUTICALLY USED CHOLESTYRAMINE AND COLESTIPOL RESINS. FURTHER, THEY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR REDUCING THE COST OF RESIN TREATMENT OF HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. ALL OFTHE DRAWBACKS OF THE PRESENTLY AVAILABLE RESINS ARE PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THEIR RELATIVELY LARGE DOSAGE REQUIREMENTS, AND REDUCTION OF THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL, THEREFORE, BE A PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM.