Patented therapeutic drug delivery strategies for targeting pulmonary diseases

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pulmonary route is one of the preferred routes for the administration of therapeutically active agents for systemic as well as localized delivery. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, bronchiolitis, lung cancer, and tuberculosis are the major chronic diseases associated with the pulmonary system. Knowledge about the affecting factors, namely, the etiology, pathophysiology, and the various barriers (mechanical, chemical, immunological, and behavioral) in pulmonary drug delivery is essential to develop an effective drug delivery system. Formulation strategies and mechanisms of particle deposition in the lungs also play an important role in designing a suitable delivery system.

Areas covered: In the present paper, various drug delivery strategies, viz. nanoparticles, microparticles, liposomes, powders, and microemulsions have been discussed systematically, from a patent perspective.

Expert opinion: Patent publications on formulation strategies have been instrumental in the evolution of new techniques and technologies for safe and effective treatment of pulmonary diseases. New delivery systems are required to be simple/reproducible/scalable/cost-effective scale for manufacturing ability and should be safe/effective/stable/controllable for meeting quality and regulatory compliance.

KEYWORDS:

• Pulmonary route
• drug delivery
• respiratory diseases
• patents

Article Highlights

• Pulmonary route is effective for local and systemic delivery of drugs.

• Pulmonary disorders include asthma, lung cancer, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, tuberculosis.

• Common barriers to pulmonary drug delivery are mechanical, chemical, immunological, and behavioral.

• Mechanism of pulmonary deposition of the drug is by impaction, sedimentation, interception, diffusion, and absorption.

• Nanoparticles, microparticles, liposomes, powder, and microemulsions are commonly employed drug delivery carriers for pulmonary delivery.

• Molecular targeted therapies are novel strategies for the treatment of pulmonary disorders.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Madhu Chitkara (Vice Chancellor, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India) and Dr. Sandeep Arora (Dean, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India) for support and institutional facilities.

Declaration of Interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organisation or entry with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosure

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.