Disease, destination, dose and delivery aspects of ciclosporin: the state of the art

Since its discovery in 1971, ciclosporin has revolutionized organ transplantation and the treatment of autoimmune disorders. The wide array of applications resulting from its clinical efficacy warrant unique administration strategies and varying doses, times of exposure and extents of distribution, depending on target tissue. The poor biopharmaceutical characteristics of low solubility and permeability makes this uphill task even more challenging for the drug delivery scientist. Efforts underway have explored various body routes employing approaches like emulsions, microspheres, nanoparticles, liposomes, iontophoresis and penetration enhancers. This review attempts a brief holistic view of the 'four Ds' (disease, destination, dose and delivery) surrounding this immunomodulator drug.