Formulation and Drug Delivery, Controlled Release

Chronotherapeutic drug delivery systems (CRDDS) have been recognized as potentially beneficial to the chronotherapy (timeoptimized therapy) of widespread chronic diseases that display time-dependent symptoms.

Generic-drug companies are increasingly viewing the development of controlled-release formulations as a way of obtaining a competitive edge, according to a report published by Espicom Business Intelligence in August 2009.

3M Drug Delivery Systems has successfully designed a proof of concept device using a solid microstructured transdermal system for the systemic delivery of high-potency pharmaceuticals. The technology was showcased at a poster session at the annual meeting of the Controlled Release Society held this week in New York City.

Once considered mainly an afterthought in a company's lifecycle-management strategy, controlled-release dosage forms are now positioned at the forefront of many formulation strategies. In contrast to drug discovery, formulation work focuses not only on the intricacies of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), but also on fine-tuning the excipients, the release profile, and the delivery mechanism to provide optimal therapeutic benefit. Because of their wide range of applications and functionalities, especially in controlled-release therapies, polymers are among the most widely used excipients.