Progress in Topical siRNA Delivery Approaches for Skin Disorders

The topical application of therapeutic agent has shown promising efficacy in the treatment of skin disorders. The siRNA based therapies have been used for treatment of various disorders including skin diseases. The topical delivery of siRNA based therapies has opened new perspectives for the treatment of skin disorders. The use of siRNA is limited due to the rapid degradation and poor cellular uptake. Also, the stratum corneum, the top layer of skin is the major barrier for the delivery of topical agents. There is unmet need for efficient topical formulation that will deliver the siRNA to the site of action and also overcome the associated siRNA delivery limitations. The topical delivery of siRNA has been achieved using viral or nonviral methods, and the combination of non-viral methods with an active permeation method such as iontophoresis, sonophoresis or microneedles for the treatment of skin disorders. These delivery approaches have been tested in a preclinical setup and few cases the results have shown promise for clinical trials. This review provides an update on the advances in the non-viral delivery approaches for siRNA delivery for skin disorders and use of various delivery approaches for efficient delivery at the disease site.