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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Recent Trends in Gel-Based Drug Delivery Systems
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Recent Trends in Gel-Based Drug Delivery Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1031

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sung-Joo Hwang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
Interests: biomaterials; drug delivery; formulation; physical pharmacy; nanoparticles; dosage forms
Dr. Linh Dinh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
Interests: drug delivery systems; control drug release; polymers; hydrogels; 3D printing; wound healing; anti-adhesion; nanomedicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gel-based drug delivery systems, including in situ gels, hydrogels, microgels, organogels, oleogels, etc. have emerged as a promising approach for controlled release of therapeutic agents. These three-dimensional polymeric networks are capable of absorbing and retaining water, forming gel-like structures for drug encapsulation and protection from degradation, thus exhibiting unique properties such as biocompatibility, tunability, and the ability to mimic biological tissues. By tailoring the properties of the gel, researchers can design systems that meet specific drug delivery needs. Gels can be formulated into various dosage forms, such as capsules, patches, implants, or injections, to improve patient compliance.

We are pleased to invite you to submit original research articles and review articles with a focus on gel-based drug delivery systems.

This Special Issue aims to present the current state of the art of developing novel gel-based drug delivery systems, advance understanding of gel materials, properties, behavior, and their applications.

In this Special Issue, research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: novel gel-based drug delivery systems, novel gel materials and applications, fundamental properties and characterization, and challenges and opportunities associated with scale-up and manufacturing of the gel-based products.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Sung-Joo Hwang
Dr. Linh Dinh
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gel-based drug delivery systems
  • stimuli-responsive gel
  • thermosensitive gel
  • pH sensitive gel
  • self-healing gel
  • aerogels
  • hydrogels
  • in situ gels
  • microgels
  • organogels
  • oleogels
  • 3D printing
  • gel patches
  • mucoadhesive gels
  • wound dressings
  • tissue engineering
  • depot injections
  • implants
  • ophthalmic gels
  • biomaterials
  • drug delivery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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16 pages, 3814 KiB  
Article
A Celecoxib-Loaded Emulsion Gel for Enhanced Drug Delivery and Prevention of Postoperative Adhesion
by Heesang Yang, Dongmin Kim, Jong-Ju Lee, Ye Ji Kim, Seungeun Song, Sooho Yeo and Sung-Joo Hwang
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040427 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
Background: Postoperative adhesions are a common complication following abdominal surgery, affecting over 90% of patients and leading to significant morbidity. Current anti-adhesion strategies, such as the use of physical and chemical barriers, have limitations such as short retention time, mechanical fragility, and inefficient [...] Read more.
Background: Postoperative adhesions are a common complication following abdominal surgery, affecting over 90% of patients and leading to significant morbidity. Current anti-adhesion strategies, such as the use of physical and chemical barriers, have limitations such as short retention time, mechanical fragility, and inefficient drug delivery. This study developed a pectin-based emulsion gel loaded with celecoxib to prevent adhesions and provide localized pain relief. Methods: Formulations (F1–F4) with different pectin concentrations were evaluated for rheological properties, mucoadhesion, degradation rate, and celecoxib release. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in Sprague−Dawley rats via a standardized model of peritoneal abrasion, in which the formulations were compared to a commercially available anti-adhesion barrier. Results: The optimized emulsion gel (F4) exhibited improved mucoadhesion (9009 mPa·s), prolonged retention, and controlled celecoxib release over 14 days, reaching 80% release by day 9. In vivo, formulation F4 significantly reduced adhesions compared to a commercially available product. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed rapid absorption (Tmax = 2 h) and sustained celecoxib plasma levels, confirming its effectiveness as a localized drug-delivery system. The celecoxib-loaded pectin-based gel successfully prevented postoperative adhesions and provided sustained pain relief. Conclusions: These findings suggest its potential clinical utility, though further preclinical and clinical evaluations are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Gel-Based Drug Delivery Systems)
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