Emerging Frontiers in Drug Delivery

Abstract

Medicine relies on the use of pharmacologically active agents (drugs) to manage and treat disease. However, drugs are not inherently effective; the benefit of a drug is directly related to the manner by which it is administered or delivered. Drug delivery can affect drug pharmacokinetics, absorption, distribution, metabolism, duration of therapeutic effect, excretion, and toxicity. As new therapeutics (e.g., biologics) are being developed, there is an accompanying need for improved chemistries and materials to deliver them to the target site in the body, at a therapeutic concentration, and for the required period of time. In this Perspective, we provide an historical overview of drug delivery and controlled release followed by highlights of four emerging areas in the field of drug delivery: systemic RNA delivery, drug delivery for localized therapy, oral drug delivery systems, and biologic drug delivery systems. In each case, we present the barriers to effective drug delivery as well as chemical and materials advances that are enabling the field to overcome these hurdles for clinical impact.

Cargo–carrier interactions significantly contribute to micellar conformation and biodistribution

“…For example, effector kinases are promising targets for therapy in diverse disease entities ranging from cancer to organ dysfunction in critical care. 1,2 Interventions into kinase function (for example, PI3K) might be limited by deleterious off-target effects, for example, on the immune system. A broad spectrum of approaches, including viruses and non-viral vectors has been applied for delivery to specific cells, but these strategies are still far from satisfactory.…”

Polymeric nanoparticles for colon cancer therapy: overview and perspectives

“…Polymeric micelles are well-known to produce structures in various forms, such as, micelles, vesicles, fibers and helices, depending on the differential interactions of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionality with the dissolved solvent. 102 The particularly interesting applications of these nanostructures are to be used as efficient carriers for hydrophobic drugs, since their inner hydrophobic core can solubilize hydrophobic drugs, while the outer hydrophilic corona can stabilize polymer micelles in external aqueous environments and decreases undesirable drug interactions with cells and proteins. Moreover, they could be employed as a component of a formulation that is administered intravenously to increase solubility in the form of complexes, encapsulations or conjugates that offer control over the rate and location of release.…”

Posaconazole-Loaded Leukocytes as a Novel Treatment Strategy Targeting Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

“…Oral, systemic, and local delivery of antimicrobials can be associated with a range of challenges including enzymatic degradation of the drug, off-target effects, toxicity, immune activation, and poor delivery to the site of infection (195). Cell based systems offer one strategy for drug delivery that may overcome these barriers, ultimately improving the pharmacokinetics, absorption, distribution, toxicity, and therapeutic effect of pharmacologically active agents.…”