News from Europe's pharmaceutical manufacturing industry coupled with upcoming events, and exclusive articles and interviews from industry experts. WEEKLY
Advances in targeted drug delivery and customized release profiles are key industry goals.
Sep 2, 2012 By:
Patricia Van Arnum Pharmaceutical Technology
Volume 36,
Issue 9,
pp. 42-45
Andrew Douglas/Radius Images/Getty Images
What will be the future innovation in drug delivery? To gain a perspective, Pharmaceutical Technology asked leading experts for their views. Participating in the industry roundtable were Anthony Recupero, PhD, senior director,
licensing, Aptalis Pharmaceutical Technologies; Linda A. Felton, PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and
associate professor of pharmaceutics, the College of Pharmacy at the University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center, and
member of the Steering Committee of the Modified Release Focus Group of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists;
and Louise Righton, global divisional marketing manager for 3M Drug Delivery Systems.
PharmTech: Looking ahead over the next 5 to 10 years, in what areas do you see the opportunity for the greatest innovation in drug delivery?
How may factors, such as increased development of specialty medicines for targeted patient populations and personalized medicines,
affect approaches in drug delivery or influence specific drug-delivery technology?
Drug delivery insights: Nanotechnology
Recupero (Aptalis Pharmaceutical Technologies): In the next 5 to 10 years, we see a great opportunity for innovation in drug delivery by designing novel formulations that
target particular pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles needed for the corresponding patient populations that are underserved by current
drug formulations on the market. Whether these drugs use oral or parenteral formulations, the key focus will be on customized
drug release that provides for a novel PK profile that leads to greater efficacy and/or reduced safety risks for specific
patient populations within particular therapeutic areas. These patients may be identified by characteristics, such as age,
co-morbidities, or a variety of potential biomarkers that indicate a favorable response to the drug of interest, if dosed
under the appropriate conditions. Central nervous system is a general therapeutic area where these strategies are likely to
pay off significantly, given the variability in patient responses based on a variety of personal factors.
The customized drug-release profiles required will necessitate the use of multiple types of technologies, including extended-release,
sustained- release, and timed-pulsatile release. Much of the innovation will come from developing a better understanding of
the patient rather than the identification of new molecules.
From a business perspective, it will be key to have proprietary technologies available with strong patent estates behind them
for these applications. This will allow companies to develop a protected pathway to market exclusivity in a manner that can
be protected not only by technology and formulation patents, but also by new use patents that are the result of novel clinical
findings based on the enablement of the delivery system. This will allow companies and investors to maximize their return
on investment and encourage further innovation in drug delivery.
Felton (University of New Mexico): The next decade will continue to be an exciting time to be a formulation scientist as the industry moves away from incremental
innovations and 'me-too' drugs in favor of more significant advances. As we look toward the future of pharmacy, I see many
opportunities for improvements in drug delivery and patient safety. With a better understanding of diseases and anatomy and
physiology, I expect to see more targeted drug-delivery systems being developed. These systems will include targeting specific
sites in the body as well as targeting chemicals to specific cells in the body. A great deal of effort is currently being
expended on targeting at the cellular level to improve therapeutic outcomes and reduce systemic toxicities. These new chemical
entities, however, are likely to create additional delivery challenges for formulation scientists. Such challenges will likely
be resolved using innovative approaches.
Industry roundtable participants, from left to right: Anthony Recupero, PhD, senior director, licensing, Aptalis Pharmaceutical
Technologies; Louise Righton, global divisional marketing manager for 3M Drug Delivery Systems. Not pictured: Linda A. Felton,
PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and associate professor of pharmaceutics, the College of Pharmacy
at the University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center, and member of the Steering Committee of the Modified Release Focus
Group of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.
Significant research effort is currently focused on identifying new indications for existing drugs. Such repurposing will
further contribute to the need for alternative delivery routes as well as targeted drug release. I expect to see improvements
in vaccine delivery, including needle-free technologies, delivery by the inhaled route, and enhanced product stability. There
are also opportunities for improved therapies in the management of chronic pain, where premature drug release (dose dumping)
is minimized. Such systems would also reduce the potential for abuse. Further development and implementation of anticounterfeiting
technologies is expected and would also contribute to patient safety, especially as the global marketplace continues to grow.
Drug delivery insights: Calcium carbonate microspheres
The aging population will also create opportunities for the development of new and novel drug delivery systems. In addition
to improvements in taste-masking technologies and alternative delivery routes, there is a growing need for combination products
to reduce total daily doses of medication. While there has been much discussion about personalized medicine, creating combination
products unique for individual patients has potential to greatly impact patient adherence to therapeutic regimens, improve
disease state management, and enhance quality of life and could be easily implemented in community pharmacies.
Righton (3M Drug Delivery Systems): Consideration of the user's experience and interface with drug-delivery devices is on the rise and will continue to have
a significant impact on the success of a product. Throughout the next decade, companies will continue to seek efficient and
user-friendly ways to deliver drugs, which build patient preference while still meeting the needs of healthcare providers
and regulatory agencies. In this increasingly patient-driven marketplace, companies are observing that the integration of
patient-friendly features, such as adding a dose counter to meter-dose inhaler devices, can not only serve as an asset in
the regulatory process, but can also build patient preference and loyalty. Furthermore, the increased patient convenience
found in needle-free drug delivery devices can offer companies an important life-cycle management tool that can differentiate
their product and provide a competitive edge.
