Novel Drug Delivery Technologies-A Changing and Challenging Global Scenario

The development of novel drug delivery techniques has got its own specific challenges. The selection of the route of administration
and the dosage form has to integrate therapeutic considerations, drug substance properties, selection of excipients technical
formulation feasibility and, above all, patient needs. The change in lifestyle and changes in patient population in the emerging and
developing countries, the needle free, painless, simple cost effective transdermal delivery system is expected to have a bright future.
The article discusses about the different techniques explored by the pharmaceutical industries for the formulation of transdermal
patches and Oro dispersible films and their merits and demerits along with the changing patient needs and importance of advanced
drug delivery techniques like transdermal drug delivery systems and Oro dispersible films to fulfill the growing patient requirements.
This advanced technologies has not been properly explored by pharmaceutical industries may be due to the limited manufacturing
feasibilities and market requirements. However the studies and publications reveal that the developing and emerging countries are
shifting to the advanced delivery techniques which has got potential patient and therapeutic benefits too. Transdermal systems are
inexpensive when compared with other therapies. The patches are designed to deliver drugs from 1 to 7 days. The other advantage of
transdermal delivery is that multiple dosing, on-demand or variable-rate delivery of drugs. The oral thin-film technology is still in the
beginning stages and has bright future ahead.