A new method for targeted drug delivery using polymeric microcapsules: implications for treatment of Crohn's disease.

Recent research and clinical evidence suggest that thalidomide could potentially be used to treat inflammation associated with Crohn's disease. However, systemic side effects associated with large doses of this drug have limited its widespread use. Treatment with thalidomide would prove more efficacious if the drug could be delivered directly to target areas in the gut, thereby reducing systemic circulation.