Despite remarkable advancements in pharmaceutical research, the potential of many treatments remains unexploited due to several challenges related to their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. These challenges often involve the body’s natural barriers, suboptimal drug absorption, rapid metabolism, and undesirable systemic side effects.
Moreover, the rapid evolution of biotechnology has introduced complex biological products, such as proteins and nucleic acids, which require specialized delivery systems to maintain their stability and bioactivity before reaching their target. Therefore, the drug delivery purpose continues to evolve, reflecting the increasing demands for more sophisticated and precise delivery methods.
Understanding the Purpose of Drug Delivery Systems
The purpose of drug delivery is to safely, effectively, and efficiently deliver therapeutic agents to specific target sites in the body, achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. This targeted approach not only maximizes the drug’s therapeutic effect but also significantly reduces the risk of side effects and toxicity, reducing the impact on healthy tissues and cells [1].
Nanocarriers, such as different forms of nanoparticles, are innovative examples of successful drug delivery systems (DDS), as they extend the purpose of drug delivery beyond the transport of pharmaceuticals to their site of action. They are engineered systems that can address specific challenges associated with drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, such as poor bioavailability and limited passage through the body’s natural barriers, like the blood-brain barrier or cellular membranes [2].
Lipid nanoparticles are particularly effective in delivering hydrophobic drugs and can be tailored for various routes of administration, including oral, injectable, and topical applications [3,4].
Targeting with these DDS can be achieved through various mechanisms, such as:
- Ligand Attachment: By attaching specific ligands to the surface of nanoparticles, these systems can target corresponding receptors on the surface of diseased cells. For instance, targeting moieties can direct chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer cells, reducing damage to healthy cells and minimizing side effects.
- Environmental Sensitivity: Some DDS are designed to respond to specific environmental conditions within the targeted tissue. For example, pH-sensitive DDS release their cargo when exposed to acidic environments, typically found in tumor sites or inflamed tissues.
Furthermore, resorting to nanosystems allows for sustaining drug release over extended periods. This controlled release reduces the dosage frequency, especially in chronic conditions requiring long-term treatment [5].
The Goal of Controlled Drug Delivery Systems
The goal of controlled drug delivery systems is to maintain drug concentration within a therapeutic range for an extended period to create a more predictable pharmacokinetic profile.
This is crucial for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, where consistent drug levels are necessary to manage the disease effectively. Controlled drug delivery systems, therefore, offer significant advantages over traditional dosing schedules that often lead to peaks and troughs in drug levels, resulting in potential side effects [6].
Responsive delivery systems that can adjust the drug release rate based on environmental or biological stimuli are examples of controlled drug release technologies. Other methods might respond to temperature, enzymatic activity, or even specific biomarkers present in diseased tissues [7].
Achieve these objectives through technologies that are 100% safe from an immunological point of view, representing a significant goal of drug delivery. Contemporary DDS are, thus, increasingly made from materials that are biocompatible and biodegradable. These materials ensure that the system does not evoke an immune or inflammatory response or can break down into harmless by-products quickly eliminated from the body.
Integrating biocompatible and biodegradable materials into DDSs offers a dual advantage: minimizing the potential for adverse reactions and eliminating the need for removal after the complete therapeutic course. This approach not only enhances patient safety and comfort but also aligns with sustainable medical practices by reducing the generation of medical waste.
Diversa is Committed to Aligning with Today’s Purposes and Goals of Drug Delivery Practices
The goal of drug delivery through these technologies is not only to improve efficacy and safety but also to enhance patient compliance and quality of life by reducing the dosing frequency and associated side effects. These achievements align with the broader objectives of personalized medicine, providing tailored therapeutic interventions optimized for individual patient needs.
At DIVERSA, we have pioneered the development of highly adaptable lipid nanosystems designed to precisely deliver peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules.
Moreover, Diversas’s co-development program is committed to providing the best solutions for your specific drug delivery purpose. DIVERSA’s nanoparticles allow for work hand-in-hand with researchers to design the best drug delivery system that meets the unique demands of each therapeutic scenario.
Our lipid-based nanosystems exemplify our dedication to biocompatibility and biodegradability goals of drug delivery, prioritizing patient safety and environmental sustainability as the core of our mission. Our solutions are perfectly aligned with the goals of drug delivery and modern healthcare: effective, safe, and personally tailored to each research’s needs.
Contact us to know how Diversa can meet your drug delivery purposes!
References
- Torchilin, V.P. Drug Targeting. Eur J Pharm Sci 2000, 11 Suppl 2, S81-91, doi:10.1016/s0928-0987(00)00166-4.
- Farokhzad, O.C.; Langer, R. Impact of Nanotechnology on Drug Delivery. ACS Nano 2009, 3, 16–20, doi:10.1021/nn900002m.
- Severino, P.; Andreani, T.; Macedo, A.S.; Fangueiro, J.F.; Santana, M.H.A.; Silva, A.M.; Souto, E.B. Current State-of-Art and New Trends on Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN and NLC) for Oral Drug Delivery. J Drug Deliv 2012, 2012, 750891, doi:10.1155/2012/750891.
- Torchilin, V.P. Recent Advances with Liposomes as Pharmaceutical Carriers. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2005, 4, 145–160, doi:10.1038/nrd1632.
- Müller, R.H.; Mäder, K.; Gohla, S. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) for Controlled Drug Delivery – a Review of the State of the Art. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2000, 50, 161–177, doi:10.1016/s0939-6411(00)00087-4.
- Mura, S.; Nicolas, J.; Couvreur, P. Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery. Nat Mater 2013, 12, 991–1003, doi:10.1038/nmat3776.
- Bae, Y.H.; Park, K. Targeted Drug Delivery to Tumors: Myths, Reality and Possibility. J Control Release 2011, 153, 198–205, doi:10.1016/j.jconrel.2011.06.001.
