Needle free parenteral drug delivery: Leveraging active transdermal technologies for pediatric use

Administration of medications via the parenteral route directly to the systemic circulation is an effective way of overcoming the first pass effect, obtaining quicker onset of action, and achieving higher bioavailability. However, needle phobia and the pain perceived during the injection process often make this a less preferred route than oral in terms of patient acceptance and compliance, particularly for pediatrics. Needleless injection technologies that deliver medications via the transdermal interface have been an active area of pharmaceutical research for many years. This review summarizes the various emerging technologies in the area of active transdermal delivery that can be potentially extended to pediatric applications.

Overcoming the absorption barriers of skin is important to deliver medications either via diffusion based passive transport or with the help of active transdermal delivery approaches such as energy enhanced microporation technologies or with mechanically permeating the skin with microneedles. Alternatives to needle based injections will set new standards of care for pediatric use for vaccines as well as for the delivery of active therapeutic molecules. Novel patient centric drug delivery methods that appeal to children and caregivers in providing safety and efficacy will open up new therapies for pediatric use.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (128 K)Download as PowerPoint slide