Advances in Pulmonary Delivery of Nanoparticles

Figures & data

Figure 1. The pattern of particle deposition in the lung.

Figure 2. Fate of aerosolised drugs delivered to the lungs (1-Interaction with mucus layer; 2-Removed by mucociliary escalator; 3-Have limited access via epithelium and be complexed/biotransformed by epithelium-associated components; &/or enzymatic digestion; 4-Diffused into submucosal blood vessels before reaching its target; 5-The target cell, airway smooth muscle cell).

Figure 3. Factors modifying drug clearance and bioavailability.

Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of aerosol devices.

Type of aerosol assembly	Advantages	Disadvantages
Nebulizers	Simple to use Can be used in mechanically ventilated patients	Requires water soluble drug Inefficient delivery Significant drug wasted Numerous factors can affect delivery Device variability Inconvenient, bulky, costly, and time-consuming Requires electrical power source Nebulizer must be kept clean Potential for breakdown of drug Costly
Metered dose inhaler	Requires minimal time for treatment Small and portable Can be used in mechanically ventilated patients	Requires significant coordination Chlorofluorocarbon propellants to be phased out Difficulty in determining number of doses remaining Numerous excipients
Dry powder inhaler	Breath actuated, requires minimal coordination Improves pulmonary drug deposition Lactose excipients Some are single dose units that require assembly	Young children and actually obstructed patients may not generate adequate inspiratory flow to actuate Requires change in inhalation technique Increased oropharyngeal drug deposition and systemic absorption increase risk for systemic adverse effects. Potential for drug to aggregate Potential to provoke cough Cannot be used in mechanically ventilated patients

Figure 4. Operation of metered dose inhalers for deposition of particles in lungs.

Figure 5. Nanotechnological approaches for aerosol delivery of drugs.

Figure 6. The research details of aerosol-based nanoparticles.

Table 2. Various clinical trials underway around the world.

S. No.	Clinical Trials	Sponsored By	Status
1	ABI-007 in Treating Patients with Chemotherapy-Naïve Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer	Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center	Completed
2	Carboplatin and Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation Followed by Radiation Therapy and Erlotinib in Treating Patients with Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer that Cannot be Removed by Surgery	Cancer and Leukemia Group B	Recruiting
3	Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation and Pemetrexed in Treating Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, or Other Solid Tumors	University of California, Davis	Recruiting
4	Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation and Sunitinib as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer	Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota	Terminated
5	Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation and Carboplatin in Treating Patients with Stage IIIB, Stage IV, or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer	Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital & Richard J. Solove Research Institute	Recruiting
6	Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation, Carboplatin, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients with Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery	Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center	Recruiting
7	Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation in Treating Patients with Advanced or Refractory Solid Tumors	Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group	Withdrawn
8	Trial of ABI-007 Administered Weekly in Chemotherapy Naive Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer	Abraxis BioScience, LLC.	Completed
9	Lapatinib and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors	University of California, San Francisco	Not recruiting
10	In Vivo Assessment of Silver Biomaterial Nano-Toxicity	University of Utah	Not yet open