Implantable drug delivery systems: An overview

Controlled drug through diffusion and activation-based drug delivery devices have become commercially feasible due to converging technologies and regulatory accommodation. Combination products constructed using implantable technology offer revolutionary opportunities to address unmet medical needs related to dosing. These products have the potential to completely con trol drug release, meeting requirements for on-demand pulsatile or adjustable continuous administration for extended periods. Implantable technologies, materials science, data management, and biological science have significantly developed in recent years, providing a multidisciplinary foundation for developing integrated therapeutic systems. If small-scale biosensor and drug reservoir units are combined and implanted, a wireless integrated system can regulate drug release, receive sensor feedback, and transmit updates. The tools such as microfabrication technology, information science, and systems biology are being combined to design increasingly sophisticated drug delivery systems that promise to significantly improve medical care.