Transformative Materials for Interfacial Drug Delivery

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are designed to temporally and spatially control drug availability and activity. They assist in improving the balance between on-target therapeutic efficacy and off-target toxic side effects. DDS aid in overcoming biological barriers encountered by drug molecules upon applying them via various routes of administration. They are furthermore increasingly explored for modulating the interface between implanted (bio)medical materials and host tissue. Here, an overview of the biological barriers and host-material interfaces encountered by DDS upon oral, intravenous, and local administration is provided, and material engineering advances at different time and space scales to exemplify how current and future DDS can contribute to improved disease treatment are highlighted.

Automated summary

Drug delivery systems (DDS) control drug availability and activity to achieve a balance between therapeutic efficacy and side effects. They overcome biological barriers encountered by drug molecules and are explored for modulating host-material interfaces. This article provides an overview of barriers and interfaces encountered by DDS in different administration routes and highlights material engineering advances for improved disease treatment.