Have you ever considered getting a flu shot but quailed at the sight of the needle? Lots of people hate getting injections, but this delivery method is still the predominant technique for administering biological drugs. Rising demand for vaccines and other biologicals is one factor spurring manufacturers to seek alternative delivery methods that could one day rescue the needlephobic. Read more »

A formulation that can sustain the delivery of a drug and reduce the frequency of doses by itself contributes to improved patient compliance. But when sustained delivery of this formulation is coupled with organ-specific delivery by means of innovative combination products, the benefits to patients are even greater. Read more »

As if I needed another reason to believe diamonds can make a person feel better: Researchers at Northwestern University are using carbon-based nanodiamonds to slowly deliver and release tightly bound insulin (acting as a growth hormone to generate new skin cells) to a specific location to fight infection and heal wounds such as those from severe burns. Researchers also showed the insulin was virtually inactive while it was bound to the nanodiamonds, thereby preventing excess drug release. Read more »

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers and the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, according to the American Cancer Society. So far, treatments for prostate cancer include drugs that affect the entire body, instead of only cancer cells. Work by a team of researchers at Purdue University offers hope they have found a new method of not only finding and targeting these cancer cells, but also carry therapeutic drugs directly to the site of infection. Read more »

Reports of teenagers’ pharm parties, Rush Limbaugh’s OxyContin addiction, and the questions surrounding Michael Jackson’s death have kept prescription-drug abuse in the public eye. By requiring manufacturers of opioid drugs to create risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, the US Food and Drug Administration is seeking to reduce opportunities for drug abuse while keeping the therapies available to patients who need them. One pharmaceutical company suggests that, in addition to regulatory solutions, drug abuse could be curbed using drug-delivery strategies. Read more »

My colleague Erik Greb wrote an interesting blog post yesterday about new drug delivery technology reminiscent of childhood games. Games have changed dramatically, but the concept of using them to help educate applies today. Take for example, the problem of patient compliance. A video game called “Re-Mission” (HopeLab) is helping children and teens to “blast away” cancer cells (at least on screen). The point is that it empowers the young patient to take control, which unfortunately is not the case with many adult patients with cancer. Read more »

As a kid, I enjoyed playing with remote-controlled cars. It was exciting to watch the cars speed around, turn where I wanted, and go where I told them to go. Researchers at Harvard have developed what could eventually be a drug-delivery method that’s not far removed from this childhood pastime. Read more »

As an editor for Pharmaceutical Technology, I often hear about novel drug-delivery mechanisms. Often they’re high-tech materials such as polymers, hydrogels, or nanoparticles. But a recent Associated Press story revealed a biological-based drug carrier that I hadn’t thought of: fish. Read more »

Nanoparticles have fascinated scientists and technology followers for several years now, and the popularity of these particles is growing, especially in pharmaceutics. Nanoparticles have matured beyond being considered as simply smaller versions of traditional-sized particles, advancing to become sophisticated and intricately designed systems. Read more »

Ever since I read about quantum dots (those nano-sized, fluorescent semiconductor balls that seem to be in many R&D labs), I wondered when the pharma industry would have its chance to put them to use. For the past 10-15 years, it seems like the scientific world marveled over their potential applications. So far, they have found use in cellular imaging, LEDs, and solar cells. Now, it looks like drug delivery may be the next frontier. Read more »