Advances in nanotechnology that enable drugs to be delivered in ways that preserve their efficacy and to precise therapeutic targets are creating a host of opportunities for drug developers. A variety of nanostructures are being investigated as functional drug carriers for a wide range of therapies, most notably cardiovascular medicine, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. While the concept of nanoparticles in drug delivery is not new, the number of research programs and active drug development projects has escalated as funding to nanotechnology developers has increased. The result is the emergence of a host of novel nanotechnologies tailored to meet the physicochemical requirements of drug developers. Nanoparticles have already improved the availability and efficacy of some drugs, and the capabilities that evolving technologies possess will leads to a dramatic increase in the number of therapies delivered via nanoparticles.

Publication Date: May 2008