Recent Patents on Drug Delivery & Formulation - Volume 4, Issue 1, 2010

Perhaps the greatest barrier to development of the field of transmembrane drug delivery is that only a limited number of drugs are amenable to administration by this route. The highly lipophilic nature and barrier function of the uppermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, for example, restricts the permeation of hydrophilic, high molecular weight and charged compounds into the systemic circulation. Other membranes Read More

Ultrapure poly[bis(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] is a novel biocompatible, anti-inflammatory, antithrombogenic polymer which has the potential to cover stent devices without elution of a cell cycle inhibiting drug. The properties of polyphosphazene are likely to extend its use to a broad array of promising applications. This article reviews the features of the polymer and some recent patents related to use of poly[bis(trifluoroethox Read More

Although technological innovations in the area of drug delivery claim for varied benefits, increasing the drug therapeutic index for human clinical application is the main goal pursued. Drug delivery systems for local anesthetics (LA) have attracted researchers due to many biomedical advantages associated to their application. Formulation approaches to systemically deliver LA include the encapsulation in liposomes, co Read More

The thrust for finding newer drug delivery systems for exiting therapeutic molecules has opened a wide window for colloidal systems. Due to the presence of different domains of variable polarity in the microemulsion systems, they show a huge potential to be used as drug delivery vehicles for a variety of drugs. The use of microemulsion as drug delivery vehicles through a number of routes has engaged a large number of rese Read More

In an effort to improve the drug solubility, stability and/or ocular bioavailability of ophthalmic formulations, various approaches have been explored in the recent past. Additionally, different formulations have been investigated in order to seek those preservative systems that are more tolerable to the ocular tissue. Over the past ten years, inventions in ophthalmic formulations directed toward front-of-eye instillations have conce Read More

Modification of the surface properties of particles, which is usually achieved by coating, is desirable to maintain and enhance the utility of these particles. Saving of time, energy, number of additives, process steps and consequently, the cost of the coating process leads to development of dry coating processes using mechanical methods which exclude any liquid solvent or binder solution and are environmentally safe, and cost- Read More

Taste has an important role in the development of oral pharmaceuticals. With respect to patient acceptability and compliance, taste is one of the prime factors determining the market penetration and commercial success of oral formulations, especially in pediatric medicine. Taste assessment is one important quality-control parameter for evaluating taste-masked formulations. Hence, pharmaceutical industries invest time, mo Read More

The patents annotated in this section have been selected from various patent databases. These recent patents are relevant to the articles published in this journal issue, categorized by therapeutic areas/targets and therapeutic agents related to drug delivery and formulations.