Drug Delivery Systems

What are drug delivery systems?

Drug delivery systems are engineered technologies for the targeted delivery and/or controlled release of therapeutic agents.

Drugs have long been used to improve health and extend lives. The practice of drug delivery has changed dramatically in the past few decades and even greater changes are anticipated in the near future. Biomedical engineers have contributed substantially to our understanding of the physiological barriers to efficient drug delivery, such as transport in the circulatory system and drug movement through cells and tissues; they have also contributed to the development several new modes of drug delivery that have entered clinical practice.

Yet, with all of this progress, many drugs, even those discovered using the most advanced molecular biology strategies, have unacceptable side effects due to the drug interacting with healthy tissues that are not the target of the drug. Side effects limit our ability to design optimal medications for many diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and infectious diseases.

Drug delivery systems control the rate at which a drug is released and the location in the body where it is released.  Some systems can control both.

How are drug delivery systems used in current medical practice?

Clinicians historically have attempted to direct their interventions to areas of the body at risk or affected by a disease. Depending on the medication, the way it is delivered, and how our bodies respond, side effects sometimes occur. These side effects can vary greatly from person to person in type and severity. For example, an oral drug for seasonal allergies may cause unwanted drowsiness or an upset stomach.

Administering drugs locally rather than systemically (affecting the whole body) is a common way to decrease side effects and drug toxicity while maximizing a treatment’s impact. A topical (used on the skin) antibacterial ointment for a localized infection or a cortisone injection of a painful joint can avoid some of the systemic side effects of these medications. There are other ways to achieve targeted drug delivery, but some medications can only be given systemically.

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