Transdermal drug delivery system, over the past decades, has emerged as a major tool for treating diseases of the skin. The major underlying factor driving this method is that the human skin is the most readily accessible surface for the delivery of drugs. A transdermal patch is defined as a medicated adhesive patch which is placed on the skin for delivering a specific dose of medication through the layers of the skin and into the bloodstream. This patch is considered to be a self contained, discrete dosage form, when applied to the intact skin, would deliver the drug, through the skin at a controlled rate to the systemic circulation.
Transdermal drug delivery method is a non-invasive method which transports the drug from the surface of the skin to the circulatory system. The most effective medium for absorbing the drug is known to be the human skin. Patches are made on the skin through which this entire process is carried out. There are different types of patches which are used to introduce the active ingredients through the skin into the circulatory system. The transdermal delivery system broadly includes all topically administered drug formulations.
Transdermal drug delivery system has been proved to be efficient owing to its large advantages over other controlled drug delivery systems. Some of these advantages include the reduction of painful delivery and the first pass metabolism of the drugs. This system of drug delivery is considered to be user-friendly, convenient, and it offers the advantage of multi-day dosing. These factors have led to a significant increase in the rate of patient compliance.
There has been a significant upward trend in the global market for transdermal drug delivery. The market for transdermal drug delivery was worth US$ 25 billion in 2013 and is further anticipated to surpass US$ 40 billion by 2018. The major factor driving such a significant growth in the market is the increasing number of transdermal drug delivery products introduced into the market and continuously delivering therapeutic benefits in the real sense to the patients across the globe.
Inspite of the transdermal system being highly successful in niche market, in other therapeutic application areas, the growth of this segment has not been highly commendable. There is a huge potential which is attracting the various companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space. There are many application areas which are currently being researched upon. Some of them are wound care, monitoring and diagnostic methods. In these areas, the skin is used as a major portal for the delivery of drugs into the human body. Thus, the application of this system of drug delivery is most likely to play a significant role in improving the quality of life.
“Transdermal Drug Delivery Market Opportunity & Clinical Pipeline Insight” Report Highlights: