Advances in synthetic materials and patch design have led to patches that are more esthetically acceptable and that are capable of delivering sustained dosing of active compounds for several days in a smaller package. Patches relying on passive transport mechanisms have been limited in their ability to deliver new classes of drugs, but formulations  .......more

The collapse of the inhaled insulin market in 2008 has resulted in programs focused on alternative insulin delivery technologies. It now appears that the patch pump – a device that represents the convergence of a transdermal reservoir system with an energy source and control technology – will be the next   .......more

Current disease trends point to increasing morbidity and mortality associated with CNS ailments in the general population. These trends include the growing incidence of neurological disorders associated with longevity and aging, and significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Because diseases .......more

Transdermal drug patches offer the advantages of ease of use, painlessness, disposability, control of drug delivery and avoidance of first-pass metabolism by the liver. New patch designs and formulation technologies are expanding the type and number of prescription therapies .......more

Advances in the processing of materials on a micro-scale have led to the development and introduction of devices that employ very small needles – microneedles – that have significant potential in devices for diagnostics, healthcare monitoring and drug delivery by mechanically ........more

Currently approved transdermal pain products include narcotics, NSAIDs, and topical anesthetics. These patches and gels will encounter competition from development-stage transdermal formulations for a number of pain medications presently being marketed in oral or parenteral form. Several of these... more

...major driver of the market for OTC patches is the demographics of the baby boom generation whose members are entering a phase of their lives in which aches and pains are more common - pain may be not only the result of an active life style, but may also result from such age-related diseases as arthritis. These consumers often are... more

Transmucosal delivery offers the potential for once daily dosing of oral drugs and avoids the effects of first pass metabolism. On the provider side, the development of alternative methods of drug administration has improved the ability of physicians to manage specific problems. Practitioners now recognize the rapid onset, relative reliability, and the... more

To expand the limits of transdermal drug delivery, developers are employing energy sources such as ultrasound, heat and electrical current to affect active transport through the skin. These techniques can increase the upper molecular size limit dramatically, opening up a host of opportunities for iontophoretic delivery. Iontophoresis devices... more