Thailand’s Innovative Use of Silk in Drug Delivery #

For centuries, Thailand has been known for its production of premium silk fabrics. Recently, biomedical researchers discovered silk’s potential in medicine as a drug delivery system. Silk fibroin, a natural protein providing silk’s strength, can encapsulate drugs, enabling a slow and controlled release in the body. This innovation reduces overall dosages and side effects.

In 2021, a startup began commercializing this research. Their first market product, a patch for insomnia, gained approval earlier this year. Silk fibroin, lauded for its biocompatibility and sustainability, offers advantages over current drug carriers. It provides a strong, stable structure enabling prolonged drug release, likened to a marathon runner supporting long-term treatment.

EngineLife, the startup, addresses challenges in silk production consistency vital for medical applications. Tiny variations in cocoon production affect the molecular weight of silk protein, altering its degradation rate and drug release timing. To standardize silk quality, the company adopted innovative farming techniques and built controlled rearing environments for silkworms.

Regulatory hurdles remain a challenge as products must be registered under different categories, consuming significant resources. EngineLife produces sufficient silk for potentially a million doses annually, but current extraction facilities limit output to 30,000 doses. Future plans include developing transdermal patches and hydrogels using silk fibroin.

EngineLife’s CBD silk fibroin patch launched earlier this year, marking a significant development using silk fibroin vesicles. Development continues on an injectable hydrogel for osteoarthritis, with silk fibroin offering sustained release up to six months, reducing injection frequency.

The vision is to expand silk fibroin usage across drug delivery systems, providing diversified revenue for Thai silk farmers. While traditionally valued as fabric, silk’s transformation into a medical-grade material significantly enhances its market value.