{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:01:44Z","timestamp":1787029304631,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Lonza Capsules &amp; Health Ingredients","award":["N\/A"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N\/A"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceutics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objective: This study assessed the ability of capsule formulations to improve the oral delivery and retain activity of an acid-sensitive enzyme during gastrointestinal transit. Methods: The dissolution characteristics of five capsule formulations\u2014single DRcaps\u00ae [DR], single Vcaps\u00ae Plus [VCP], and three DUOCAP\u00ae capsule-in-capsule combinations, DRcaps\u00ae inside DRcaps\u00ae (DR-in-DR), DRcaps\u00ae inside Vcaps\u00ae Plus (DR-in-VCP), and Vcaps\u00ae Plus inside DRcaps\u00ae (VCP-in-DR)\u2014were evaluated in an in vitro simulation of a healthy human upper gastrointestinal tract under fasting and fed conditions using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME)\u00ae platform. Capsules contained caffeine as a marker of capsule dissolution, and pancreatin as an active ingredient for which activity was determined by the conversion of tributyrin. Readouts included visual capsule scoring, the analysis of caffeine release, and the quantification of tributyrin-to-butyrate conversion at the end of each gastrointestinal tract segment. Results: The single VCP capsules had a high level of caffeine release at the end of the stomach incubation with low butyrate recovery (16\u201321%), suggesting the rapid release and gastric degradation of the unprotected enzyme. The single DR, DR-in-VCP, and VCP-in-DR formulations showed caffeine release at the end of the duodenum and\/or jejunum and had high butyrate recovery, ranging from 53% to 87%. The DR-in-DR formulation had the most delayed release, with incomplete caffeine release and low-to-moderate butyrate recovery (10\u201336%). Conclusions: Fast capsule dissolution led to the reduced enzymatic activity of the active ingredient, while delayed dissolution resulted in inadequate time for the enzymatic conversion of tributyrin to butyrate. These results highlight that capsule selection should align with the intended use and targeted nutrient delivery, with DUOCAP\u00ae formulations being best suited for small intestinal (VCP-in-DR and DR-in-VCP) and colonic (DR-in-DR) delivery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics18030285","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T10:33:02Z","timestamp":1772101982000},"page":"285","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Evaluation of Targeted-Release Capsule Formulations for Protection of the Acid-Sensitive Enzyme Pancreatin Under Fasted and Fed Intestinal Conditions In Vitro"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Elnaz","family":"Karimian Azari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Lonza Greenwood LLC, 535 N Emerald Road, Greenwood, SC 29646, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marlies","family":"Govaert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ProDigest, Technologiepark 82, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-8720-1255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cindy","family":"Duysburgh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ProDigest, Technologiepark 82, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stanislaw","family":"Glab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lonza Greenwood LLC, 535 N Emerald Road, Greenwood, SC 29646, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Marzorati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ProDigest, Technologiepark 82, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium"},{"name":"Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9052 Gent, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zainulabedin","family":"Saiyed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lonza Greenwood LLC, 535 N Emerald Road, Greenwood, SC 29646, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Homayun, B., Lin, X., and Choi, H.J. 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