The development pathway for inhaled drugs may not be straightforward, but recent advances are making it an easier way to go
CAPSULE:Drugs for pulmonary delivery have taken two high-profile hits of late. Developers have pressed on, recognizing the clinical need, and the associated innovations are moving the field ever forward. The opportunities for inhalable formulations are out there, and the methods are now closer at hand.
Biodegradable and building-block delivery solutions open doors to new technologies
CAPSULE:Recent decades have seen major advances in drug delivery technology through the use of biodegradable polymers. These substances are building blocks that can be assembled in various combinations to create “tailor-made” compounds that meet a wide variety of needs, simultaneously increasing the efficacy and decreasing the toxic side effects of chemotherapy agents such as paclitaxel.
New formulation expands potential for pulmonary and systemic therapies
CAPSULE:Expanding the viability of dry inhaled powder delivery beyond select small molecules to include proteins, peptides, and antibodies at therapeutically relevant doses as well as triple, quadruple, or higher drug combinations will enable the development of simple, non-invasive inhaled therapies for a new and expanded range of disease targets and patient populations.
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Nanoparticles that target the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas may improve the efficacy of drugs to treat type 1 diabetes, researchers in Boston report.
Standard contact lenses containing nanosized vitamin E aggregates can be used to deliver anesthetic drugs over a period of days after LASIK and other types of refractive surgery, according to researchers in Florida.
Will seek comments on draft proposal at May workshop
A set of recommended best practices for maintaining the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain, proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, is open for comment from stakeholders on the organization’s website
