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Development of New Therapeutic Applications Using Microfluidics
Published on: October 1, 2007
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Recent advances of controlled drug delivery using microfluidic platforms
Sharma T Sanjay1, Wan Zhou1, Maowei Dou2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|September 19, 2017
Summary
Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology enables precise, on-demand drug delivery to target sites, enhancing efficacy and minimizing side effects. This review explores advanced microfluidic systems for controlled drug administration.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Conventional drug delivery faces challenges with systemic distribution, rapid degradation, and poor targeting.
- Controlled drug delivery systems aim to improve therapeutic outcomes by optimizing drug release kinetics and localization.
- Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology offers unique advantages for developing advanced drug delivery platforms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in controlled drug delivery utilizing microfluidic platforms.
- To categorize and describe various microfluidic drug delivery systems.
- To discuss the current limitations and future potential of microfluidic technology in drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Review of microfabrication techniques for microfluidic platforms.
- Categorization of microfluidic drug delivery systems into four main types: micro-reservoir-based, integrated lab-on-a-chip, carrier-integrated, and microneedles.
- Detailed description of microneedle types for transdermal delivery.
Main Results:
- Microfluidic platforms enable precise control over drug release rates and localization at target sites.
- Various microfluidic systems, including carrier-free and carrier-integrated approaches, have been developed for enhanced drug delivery.
- Microneedles offer a versatile platform for controlled transdermal drug delivery, with diverse subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic technology presents significant opportunities for reproducible, on-demand, and tunable drug delivery.
- On-demand self-tuning dynamic drug delivery systems show promise for personalized medicine.
- Further research into microfluidic platforms is crucial to overcome current limitations and realize their full potential in controlled drug delivery.
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