Chapter 2 - Drug delivery application: an outlook on past and present technologies

Abstract

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are defined as methods for delivering drugs to desired tissues, organs, cells, and subcellular organs via a range of drug carriers in order to achieve drug release and absorption. The current DDS begin with a variety of drug administration routes. Following that, various drug formulations, as well as drug delivery and targeted drug delivery devices, are described. The number of new biotechnology-based therapeutics has increased significantly. The majority of these are proteins and peptides, and their delivery poses unique challenges. Cell and gene therapies are sophisticated therapeutic delivery methods. The remarkable progress made during recent decades in biomedical nanotechnology has turned standard DDSs into intelligent DDSs to respond to stimuli. Nanoparticles are thought to be important in improving drug delivery; they can be pharmaceuticals or diagnostics. Drug delivery advancements will aid in the development of personalized medicine, in which targeted drug delivery will play an important role. The ideal DDS, commercial aspects, challenges, and future prospects are all being discussed. The development of innovative drug delivery technologies and formulations would serve to enhance these therapeutic indices and reduce negative effects.