Physically Facilitating drug-delivery Systems

Abstract

Facilitated/modulated drug-delivery systems have emerged as a possible solution for delivery of drugs of interest to pre-allocated sites at predetermined doses for predefined periods of time. Over the past decade, the use of different physical methods and mechanisms to mediate drug release and delivery has grown significantly. This emerging area of research has important implications for development of new therapeutic drugs for efficient treatments. This review aims to introduce and describe different modalities of physically facilitating drug-delivery systems that are currently in use for cancer and other diseases therapy. In particular, delivery methods based on ultrasound, electrical, magnetic and photo modulations are highlighted. Current uses and areas of improvement for these different physically facilitating drug-delivery systems are discussed. Furthermore, the main advantages and drawbacks of these technologies reviewed are compared. The review ends with a speculative viewpoint of how research is expected to evolve in the upcoming years.

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge L Aldana, E Bitnet and C Wynne for their useful spelling and grammar check.

Financial & competing interest disclosure

This publication was made possible by NIH Grant Number 1SC2HL107235-01 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, USA; National Science Foundation under Grant No. CBET0936238, USA; and Department of Education under Grant No. P116V090013, USA. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.