The concept of focal controlled drug delivery has been applied for treating illnesses that are localized to a certain tissue or organ. These delivery systems are applied directly to the diseased site and deliver a desired dose for an extended time period while minimizing systemic distribution of toxic drug. Controlled drug delivery systems have been focused on oral extended release formulations and on systemic delivery of small drugs and peptides. Despite the upsurge of interest in focal targeted drug delivery, there is currently no single reference text on the subject. By comparison, there are numerous authored and edited books on oral, systemic and transdermal drug delivery or books on biodegradable polymers as drug carriers. Thus, the aim of Focal Drug Delivery is to bring together leading experts and researchers in the field to provide an authoritative account of the essential pharmaceutical, technological, physiological and biological sciences underpinning the topic. In addition, the book will review advances in treatment options for diseases localized at a certain tissue or organ.

This book will describe current research on drug delivery systems that encompass four broad categories, namely: routes of delivery, delivery vehicles, payload, and targeting strategies. Where appropriate delivery vehicles and relevant release of specific agents in any of these categories in clinical application will be discussed. All chapters will highlight the translational aspects of the various technologies discussed and will provide insights into the advantages of such delivery systems over current ones in clinical or research use. Each technology reviewed in this book will have significant potential to improve patients' lives by enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. This book: Discusses the various factors that mitigate effective oral insulin delivery and the current status of research efforts to overcome these barriers along with recent clinical projections Examines the advantages and disadvantages of each drug delivery system Examines the standard method of accomplishing controlled drug release through the incorporation of the drugs within polymeric biomaterials such as capsules and microcapsules as well as other vehicles such as liposomes Discusses various controlled drug delivery systems, including sustained release delivery systems and pulse or delayed release, e.g. to target different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. In view of these wide-ranging technological areas, and the up-to-date discussions of opportunities and challenges associated with these applications, the book should provide readers from technology, materials science, pharmacology and clinical disciplines with very valuable information.

This book approaches the subject from a mechanistic perspective that pitches the language at a level that is understandable to those entering the field and who are not familiar with its common phrases or complex terms. It provides a simple encapsulation of concepts and expands on them. In each chapter the basic concept is explained as simply and clearly as possible without a great deal of detail, then in subsequent sections additional material, exceptions to the general rule, examples, etc., is introduced and built up. Such material was generously supplemented with diagrams; conceptually elegant line diagrams in two or three colors. The artwork was well thought out and able to condense the scientific principles into a novel and visually exciting form. The diagrams encourage browsing or draw the reader to salient points. In addition, the technique of highlighting key concepts in a separate box is used throughout each chapter.

This book offers a state-of-the-art overview of controlled drug delivery systems, covering the most important innovative applications. The principles of controlled drug release and the mechanisms involved in controlled release are clearly explained. The various existing polymeric drug delivery systems are reviewed, and new frontiers in material design are examined in detail, covering a wide range of polymer modification techniques. The concluding chapter is a case study focusing on use of a drug-eluting stent. The book is designed to provide the reader with a complete understanding of the mechanisms and design of controlled drug delivery systems, and to this end includes numerous step-by-step tutorials. It illustrates how chemical engineers can advance medical care by designing polymeric delivery systems that achieve either temporal or spatial control of drug delivery and thus ensure more effective therapy that eliminates the potential for both under- and overdosing.

This volume discusses the challenges of creating controlled release dosage forms that will deliver new therapeutic agents based on high-molecular-weight molecules. It examines strategies for delivering drugs through resistant biological barriers and surveys a variety of topics, including drug targeting, self-regulated drug delivery, protein drug delivery, biosensors, cell and tissue engineering, new biomaterials, modeling methods, pharmacokinetics, and U.S. federal regulations.

The goal of every drug delivery system is to deliver the precise amount of a drug at a pre-programmed rate to the desired location in order to achieve the drug level necessary for the treatment. An essential guide for biomedical engineers and pharmaceutical designers, this resource combines physicochemical principles with physiological processes to facilitate the design of systems that will deliver medication at the time and place it is most needed.

Covers all aspects of controlled drug delivery, including human, agricultural and animal applications. The 70 entries, written by an international team of renowned experts, offers A-to-Z coverage of controlled drug delivery systems for researchers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, agriculture companies, medical device companies, clinical research organizations and medical schools.