Nanotechnology offers great potential for the pharmaceutical industry. French researchers recently reported on the use of porous hybrid crystalline solids as nanocarriers in drug delivery and as a possible tool in theranostics, or the application of diagnostics in the development of personalized medicines. Read more »
When pipelines run dry, pharmaceutical companies are more likely to investigate alternative delivery methods as a way of distinguishing their drugs in the marketplace. In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed several intriguing delivery methods created by researchers around the world. I recently wrote about the new technique of encapsulating medicines in magnetite nanoparticles for repeated, long-term delivery. Along similar lines, scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have created “micro shuttles” that can be loaded with drugs and opened remotely. Read more »
Last week, I wrote that the increased attention to biological drugs, which are mostly taken through injections, was spurring interest in needle-free and implantable delivery methods for vaccines. Research into alternative delivery methods for vaccines could produce innovative ways of delivering other kinds of drugs as well, and I recently read about an inspired idea that a team of Boston researchers had for delivering intermittent doses of drugs. Read more »
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 »
Two announcements made on two consecutive days last week vividly showed that whether a thing is helpful or harmful often depends on how we use it. The announcements’ subject? Tobacco. Read more »
Pharmaceutical scientists are still just beginning to understand the working mechanisms of nano-sized particles in drug delivery. For formulators, one of the key challenges has been to design particles that increase bioavailability of the drug to specific targets but still have minimal side effects to the patient. For manufacturers, processing nanomedicines requires having to rethink traditional production operations. How do the unique properties of nano-sized particles affect the means in which they are handled, blended, mixed, coated, lyophilized? 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 »
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 »
In response to the changing economy, some companies are taking a different approach to supply-chain execution systems. This trend has businesses basing their strategies on reducing costs and streamlining operations rather than focusing on compliance with government or retailer guidelines. Read more »
At this year’s AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition, Pharmaceutical Technology editors conducted video interviews with industry leaders recorded live at PharmTech’s booth on the exhibit floor. Click on the titles below to watch the vidcasts.
From PharmTech.com