Protein and Peptide-Based Drug Delivery
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Biopharmaceuticals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 2925
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Protein and peptide-based delivery systems have garnered significant attention in the field of drug delivery owing to their high specificity, biocompatibility, and ability to target a wide range of diseases. However, there are several challenges and perspectives to consider in the development and application of such systems. Challenges including chemical stability and proteolytic degradation, triggering immune responses, and being subject to poor oral bioavailability and restricted cellular uptake have limited their widespread use in clinical settings. Moreover, formulation and manufacturing of protein-based delivery systems can be complex and costly with continuous problematic scalability, which can be technically demanding and expensive. Other challenges involve targeting and specificity in terms of liabilities to off-target effects and/or inefficient receptor binding.
To fully realize the potential of protein-based delivery systems, advancements in delivery technologies, novel administration routes, molecular engineering, smart delivery systems, and a comprehensive understanding of regulatory and clinical landscapes are crucial. Advanced delivery technologies, such as nanocarriers and/or bioconjugation, can protect proteins and peptides from degradation and enhance their delivery to target sites. Furthermore, administration routes like transdermal delivery and inhalation can contribute to the efficient therapeutic potential of protein-based systems by bypassing gastrointestinal degradation. Designing peptides with improved stability, reduced immunogenicity, and enhanced targeting properties can address many of the inherent challenges. Most importantly, understanding the regulatory requirements for protein and peptide therapeutics is essential for successful development and commercialization. This should be complemented by designing robust clinical trials to demonstrate safety, efficacy, and superiority over existing therapies, which is crucial for gaining approval and adoption.
Dr. Hoda M. Eltaher
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- proteolytic degradation
- chemical stability
- immunogenicity
- oral bioavailability
- scalability
- off- target
- effects
- bioconjugation
- peptide engineering
- biodegradable polymers
- regulatory and clinical considerations
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