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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
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Models and Methods to Evaluate Transport of Drug Delivery Systems Across Cellular Barriers
Published on: October 17, 2013
Transferosomes as Drug Delivery Systems: Design Principles, Deformability, and Translational Challenges.
Enrique A Nieves1, María C Cotto2, Francisco Márquez2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Puerto Rico Campus, San Juan, PR 00926, USA.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Transferosomes, ultradeformable vesicles, enhance drug delivery via non-invasive routes. Addressing formulation inconsistencies is key for clinical translation of these advanced liposome-based systems.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Nanotechnology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Transferosomes are ultradeformable vesicles derived from liposomes, utilizing edge activators to enhance membrane flexibility.
- They are designed for improved drug delivery across biological barriers, especially via non-invasive routes like dermal, transdermal, and mucosal administration.
- Despite their potential, challenges in terminology, formulation, assays, and clinical translation persist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review transferosomes from a formulation development viewpoint.
- To analyze the relationship between composition, properties, and biological performance.
- To identify unmet needs for advancing transferosome technology in pharmaceutical development.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review focusing on formulation strategies, critical quality attributes, and analytical characterization.
- Comparative analysis of transferosomes against conventional liposomes, ethosomes, and transethosomes.
- Examination of mechanistic interpretations of barrier interactions and drug delivery pathways.
Main Results:
- Transferosome deformability and stability are influenced by lipid composition and edge activators.
- Inconsistent methodologies hinder direct comparison and clinical translation.
- Key areas for improvement include standardization, reproducibility, scalability, and storage stability.
Conclusions:
- Transferosomes offer genuine advantages for drug delivery when formulation parameters are meticulously controlled.
- Standardization of deformability assays and formulation strategies is crucial for clinical translation.
- Further research is needed to address scalability, stability, and regulatory aspects for successful pharmaceutical development.
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