Trend Watch: Drug Delivery

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As pharmaceuticals are becoming more sophisticated, the need for targeted and effective modes of administration is becoming more apparent: a trend that is not being ignored by companies worldwide. Drug delivery is an increasingly dynamic sector of the pharmaceutical industry, and it may prove to be one of the most interesting areas of growth over the next decade.

Nanotechnology, the science of precisely manipulating the structure of matter at the molecular level, is spurring some of the most exciting innovations in the drug delivery world. Nano-enabled delivery systems provide new dosage forms, lower drug toxicity, and more agile compounds as well as improved bioavailability and reduced cost of biologics, a promising and profitable new field of products. Nanomolecular advancements also include implantable drug delivery systems, which can control the release of therapeutics that would otherwise require multiple injections.

Still, injectables and implantables, no matter how refined, don’t always excite patients. Easier, more comfortable means of administration can also enrich the efficacy of drugs as well as enhancing patient compliance. Needle-free injections, transdermal patches, sublingual tabs, and pulmonary devices are just a few of the areas that offer broad potential for a number of treatments.

What’s so wrong with popping a pill the old fashioned way? Nothing, of course. In fact, it is often times the preferred method of delivery. But there is certainly room for innovation. Advancements such as controlled release and ultra-solubility have already helped reduce side effects and collateral damage, and future efforts to enable oral administration of compounds that would otherwise require injection will surely continue.

Contributed by: Maghan Cook