Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionise healthcare for the next generation. There are three key areas in which it could do this: Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment. Areas of healthcare which have been impacted by nanotechnology are:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Biotechnology
- Patient Care
- Medical Devices
- Clinical Diagnostics
This website concentrates on nanopharmaceuticals and somewhat on biotechnology.
Nanopharmaceuticals
NanoPharmaceuticals are the pharmaceuticals designed using "nanotechnology". They are broadly classified as: NanoCarriers and Nano Engineered Drugs.
NanoEngineered Drugs
Pharmaceutical scientists can change drug molecules to improve their efficiency to carry out a desired effect in the body. Scientists attempt to make drug molecules more stable for use in pharmaceutical compounding or to increase their bio-availability (amount of drug that carries out the effect it was meant for). Nano-design of an existing drug molecule may:
- increase its solubility and bioavailability (nano crystalline material to increase oral bio-availability
- benefit the development of different dosage forms (nano-suspensions)
- aid in exploring diff routes of administration (nasal, ophthalmic) [29]
(This website concentrates more on the other section of Nanopharmaceuticals which is NanoCarriers. Nanocarriers encompass the broad section of drug delivery.)
- increase its solubility and bioavailability (nano crystalline material to increase oral bio-availability
- benefit the development of different dosage forms (nano-suspensions)
- aid in exploring diff routes of administration (nasal, ophthalmic) [29]
(This website concentrates more on the other section of Nanopharmaceuticals which is NanoCarriers. Nanocarriers encompass the broad section of drug delivery.)
NanoCarriers/ Drug Delivery
Nanocarriers ferry medicine into diseased cells. After i.v. administration of particulate drug carrier they will be cleared from the circulation by spleen and liver depending on the size of the particles. It was reported that particles less than 200 nm can escape this physical screening, hence, nanoparticulate carriers might be of great interest. Nanoparticles with hydrophilic surfaces avoid reticuloendothelial system (RES) uptake and are long circulating. Nanoparticles which are long circulating might get targeted to tumour tissue by a mechanism known as enhanced permeation and retention (EPR). Wherein nanoparticles permeate into leaky vascular of a typical tumour tissue. Subsequently they will be retained due to the primitive lymphatic system development. [29]
The first product which saw the day of light based on NanoCarrier strategy is Doxil® PEGylated liposomal formulation for doxorubicin. Theses liposomes are called as “Stealth” liposomes with size <200nm which are long circulation. These nanoCarriers can also be attached with ligands for active targeting. Hence nanotechnology is a “holy grill” for fundamental problems of drug targeting. Have a look at the the 'Nanotechnology and Drug Delivery' section of this website for more information.
The first product which saw the day of light based on NanoCarrier strategy is Doxil® PEGylated liposomal formulation for doxorubicin. Theses liposomes are called as “Stealth” liposomes with size <200nm which are long circulation. These nanoCarriers can also be attached with ligands for active targeting. Hence nanotechnology is a “holy grill” for fundamental problems of drug targeting. Have a look at the the 'Nanotechnology and Drug Delivery' section of this website for more information.
Ecnomics of NanoPharmaceuticals
Past Predictions (current figures are difficult to find): According to a report from NanoMarkets, an industry consulting firm based in Sterling, USA, nanotechnology-enabled drug delivery systems will generate over $1.7 billion ($US) in 2009 and over $4.8 billion in 2012. The global drug delivery products and services market were projected to surpass US$67 billion in 2009. Lux Research reported that that big Pharma companies are “flat footed” in their initiative about nanotechnology, however, medical device companies are more aggressive in perusing nanotechnological strategies. In a nutshell nanotechnology is there to stand and show its impact on design of drug molecules, the benefit of which will be seen in augmenting the product life cycle, patent life, along with their therapeutic efficiency. [30]