Glucocorticoids are used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. A limitation to their use is that they undergo absorption from the GIT before reaching the colon causing severe systemic side effects. We report here on a novel prodrug approach to targeting corticosteroids to the colon. The design involves attaching a 21-ester group that suppresses absorption during transit to the colon. The prodrug is designed to be primed by colonic ...