The nanotechnological approach for nasal delivery of peptide drugs: a comprehensive review

Abstract

This review gathers recent studies, patents, and clinical trials involving the nasal administration of peptide drugs to supply a panorama of developing nanomedicine advances in this field. Peptide drugs have been featured in the pharmaceutical market, due to their high efficacy, biological activity, and low immunogenicity. Pharmaceutical industries need technology to circumvent issues relating to peptide stability and bioavailability. The oral route offers very harsh and unfavourable conditions for peptide administration, while the parenteral route is inconvenient and risky for patients. Nasal administration is an attractive alternative, mainly when associated with nanotechnological approaches. Nanomedicines may improve the nasal administration of peptide drugs by providing protection for the macromolecules from enzymes while also increasing their time of retention and permeability in the nasal mucosa. Nanomedicines for nasal administration containing peptide drugs have been acclaimed for both prevention, and treatment, of infections, including the pandemic COVID-19, cancers, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords:

• Peptide drugs
• nasal route
• drug nanocarriers
• lipid nanoparticles
• polymer nanoparticles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study is part of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology: a transdisciplinary approach INCT-NANOFARMA, which is supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil [Grant #2014/50928–2], and by National Council for Scientific and Technological (CNPq), Brazil [Grant #465687/2014–8]. The study was also received financial support from National Council for Scientific and Technological [Grant #425448/2016–2]. Carine Zuglianello received a doctoral scholarship from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Brazil.