Lipid Nano- and Microparticles: An Overview of Patent-Related Research

The traits of lipid biocompatibility and versatility have led to many nano- and microparticulate lipid formulations being engineered, over the last two decades, in the form of spheres and capsules, using solid and liquid lipids as the matrices. This review describes the main types of lipid nano- and microparticles, as well as their preparation methods, administration routes, and main fields of application. It will also provide a synthetic overview of the main patents that have been filed. Patenting activity in the lipid nanoparticle field has been ongoing for 25 years and has been driven by the boom in the use of nanotechnology as an innovative tool for disease treatment and potential commercial interest in a fully biocompatible vehicle. Initially, activity was mainly focused on technological aspects, and later focus shifted more to usage and composition. An increasing number of patents are also being filed by Emerging Countries. However, the most important limitation here is the low number of marketed products, which is mainly caused by regulatory restrictions and economic reasons.