Drug delivery across the skin

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• The skin's barrier properties present a significant challenge for drug delivery.
• Traditional administration routes can lead to issues like poor bioavailability and patient compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review classic and innovative methods for enhancing drug permeation through the skin.
• To summarize the current state, strengths, and limitations of transdermal drug delivery technologies.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on skin permeation enhancement techniques.
• Analysis of classic chemical enhancement and modern approaches like vesicular carriers and electrical methods.
• Evaluation of methods leading to marketed or pipeline products.

Main Results:

• Classic methods include chemical enhancers and vehicle modifications.
• Innovative approaches involve vesicular carriers, electrotransport, and microinvasive techniques.
• Several enhancement strategies have successfully translated into clinical applications.

Conclusions:

• Advances in permeation enhancement are expanding the scope of dermal and transdermal therapies.
• Continued innovation is crucial for overcoming skin barrier challenges in drug delivery.
• The field shows promise for new and improved drug products reaching the market.