RETRACTED ARTICLE: Preparation of novel pirfenidone microspheres for lung-targeted delivery: in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

Li D, Gong L. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2016;10:2815–2821.

The Editor and Publisher of Drug Design, Development and Therapy wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of images from Figures 1 and 4 with those from other unrelated articles. Specifically,

• Figure 1B appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 1B from Guo & Cang, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S103169).

• Figure 4Aa appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 5A from Guo & Cang, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S103169).

• Figure 4Ac appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 5B, Lung from Zhou et al, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S146925).

• Figure 4Bc appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 7A, Liver from Li & Wang, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S136378).

• Figure 4Ba appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 5A, Liver from Chen et al, 2015 (https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S81722).

• Figure 4Cc appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 7A, Kidney from Li & Wang, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S136378).

The authors did not respond to our queries and no explanation for the alleged image duplication was provided. The Editor requested to retract the article and the authors were notified of this.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.

View retraction statement:

Preparation of Novel Pirfenidone Microspheres for Lung-Targeted Delivery: In vitro and in vivo Study [Retraction]