Nasal Drug Delivery: Challenges and Future Opportunities

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 4608

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Regulatory Affairs, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
Interests: quality by design-based formulation strategies; regulatory science; patient centeredness in dosage form design; alternative administration routes; nose-to-brain delivery
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Guest Editor
Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Regulatory Affairs, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
Interests: intranasal dosage form; nose-to-brain delivery; nose-to-blood delivery; polymeric micelle; quality by design-based formulation strategies; nanomedicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, research and development has gained a new focus of attention: auspicious intranasal (IN) drug delivery. It is an efficient way to deliver drugs into the systemic circulation via the nose-to-blood delivery route and to the brain via the nose-to-brain route. The latter also holds the added value of bypassing the blood–brain barrier, allowing quick access and direct entry to the central nervous system There are multiple challenges regarding IN drug delivery, which concern the physicochemical properties of active substances and how can we conquer transmucosal drug delivery. Various approaches, such as in the field of nanotechnology, have been previously proposed to overcome the challenges of the IN drug delivery route; however, there are still certain areas uncharted.

The scope of this Special Issue covers the present original ideas and technologies regarding solutions for the successful delivery of drugs through the IN drug delivery route and how novel technologies can advance the field of nose-to-blood or nose-to-brain transport routes. Manuscripts related to quality assurance and the regulatory environment concerning this topic are welcomed.

We are looking forward to your related publications, hoping that this Special Issue will improve our understanding of how the IN drug delivery systems can advance with future technologies.

Prof. Dr. Ildikó Csóka
Dr. Bence Sipos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • nose-to-blood delivery
  • nose-to-brain delivery
  • nasal dosage form
  • nanomedicine
  • nanotechnology
  • quality assurance
  • protein delivery
  • polymeric nanoparticle
  • lipid nanoparticle
  • inorganic nanoparticle

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4839 KiB  
Article
Risperidone-Loaded Nasal Thermosensitive Polymeric Micelles: Quality by Design-Based Formulation Study
by Bence Sipos, Gábor Katona and Ildikó Csóka
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(6), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16060703 - 24 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 945
Abstract
The current research aims to develop thermosensitive polymeric micelles loaded with risperidone for nasal administration, emphasizing the added benefits of their thermosensitive behavior under nasal conditions. An initial risk assessment facilitated the advanced development process, confirming that the key indicators of thermosensitivity were [...] Read more.
The current research aims to develop thermosensitive polymeric micelles loaded with risperidone for nasal administration, emphasizing the added benefits of their thermosensitive behavior under nasal conditions. An initial risk assessment facilitated the advanced development process, confirming that the key indicators of thermosensitivity were suitable for nasal application. The polymeric micelles exhibited an average size of 118.4 ± 3.1 nm at ambient temperature and a size of 20.47 ± 1.2 nm at 36.5 °C, in both cases in monodisperse distribution. Factors such as pH and viscosity did not significantly impact these parameters, demonstrating appropriate nasal applicability. The model formulations showed a rapid, burst-like drug release profile in vitro, accompanied by a quick and high permeation rate at nasal conditions. Overall, the Quality by Design-based risk assessment process led to the development of an advanced drug delivery system capable of administering risperidone through the nasal cavity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nasal Drug Delivery: Challenges and Future Opportunities)
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19 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
Intranasal Delivery of Anti-Apoptotic siRNA Complexed with Fas-Signaling Blocking Peptides Attenuates Cellular Apoptosis in Brain Ischemia
by Kunho Chung, Irfan Ullah, Yujong Yi, Eunhwa Kang, Gyeongju Yun, Seoyoun Heo, Minkyung Kim, Seong-Eun Chung, Seongjun Park, Jaeyeoung Lim, Minhyung Lee, Taiyoun Rhim and Sang-Kyung Lee
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(2), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16020290 - 18 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1510
Abstract
Ischemic stroke-induced neuronal cell death leads to the permanent impairment of brain function. The Fas-mediating extrinsic apoptosis pathway and the cytochrome c-mediating intrinsic apoptosis pathway are two major molecular mechanisms contributing to neuronal injury in ischemic stroke. In this study, we employed a [...] Read more.
Ischemic stroke-induced neuronal cell death leads to the permanent impairment of brain function. The Fas-mediating extrinsic apoptosis pathway and the cytochrome c-mediating intrinsic apoptosis pathway are two major molecular mechanisms contributing to neuronal injury in ischemic stroke. In this study, we employed a Fas-blocking peptide (FBP) coupled with a positively charged nona-arginine peptide (9R) to form a complex with negatively charged siRNA targeting Bax (FBP9R/siBax). This complex is specifically designed to deliver siRNA to Fas-expressing ischemic brain cells. This complex enables the targeted inhibition of Fas-mediating extrinsic apoptosis pathways and cytochrome c-mediating intrinsic apoptosis pathways. Specifically, the FBP targets the Fas/Fas ligand signaling, while siBax targets Bax involved in mitochondria disruption in the intrinsic pathway. The FBP9R carrier system enables the delivery of functional siRNA to hypoxic cells expressing the Fas receptor on their surface—a finding validated through qPCR and confocal microscopy analyses. Through intranasal (IN) administration of FBP9R/siCy5 to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) ischemic rat models, brain imaging revealed the complex specifically localized to the Fas-expressing infarcted region but did not localize in the non-infarcted region of the brain. A single IN administration of FBP9R/siBax demonstrated a significant reduction in neuronal cell death by effectively inhibiting Fas signaling and preventing the release of cytochrome c. The targeted delivery of FBP9R/siBax represents a promising alternative strategy for the treatment of brain ischemia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nasal Drug Delivery: Challenges and Future Opportunities)
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Review

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16 pages, 582 KiB  
Review
Intranasal Therapy in Palliative Care
by Anna Ingielewicz and Robert K. Szymczak
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(4), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16040519 - 9 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1295
Abstract
In recent years, the use of the intranasal route has been actively explored as a possible drug delivery method in the palliative patient population. There are reports demonstrating the effectiveness of nasally administered medications that are routinely used in patients at the end [...] Read more.
In recent years, the use of the intranasal route has been actively explored as a possible drug delivery method in the palliative patient population. There are reports demonstrating the effectiveness of nasally administered medications that are routinely used in patients at the end of life. The subject of this study is the intranasal drug administration among palliative patients. The aim is to summarize currently used intranasal therapies among palliative patients, determine the benefits and difficulties, and identify potential areas for future research. A review of available medical literature published between 2013 and 2023 was performed using online scientific databases. The following descriptors were used when searching for articles: “palliative”, “intranasal”, “nasal”, “end-of-life care”, “intranasal drug delivery” and “nasal drug delivery”. Out of 774 articles, 55 directly related to the topic were finally selected and thoroughly analyzed. Based on the bibliographic analysis, it was shown that drugs administered intranasally may be a good, effective, and convenient form of treatment for patients receiving palliative care, in both children and adults. This topic requires further, high-quality clinical research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nasal Drug Delivery: Challenges and Future Opportunities)
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