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Pharmaceutics
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Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to...
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Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to Effective Therapeutic Solutions

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 2233

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Maria Camilla Bergonzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Interests: natural products; drug delivery; liposomes; lipid nanocarriers; micro and nanoemulsions; nanoparticles; solubility; stability; bioefficacy; oral, brain and skin delivery; PAMPA test
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Agnieszka Markowska-Radomska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warynskiego 1, 00-645 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: drug delivery systems; controlled drug release; multiple emulsions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to innovative strategies for precise, targeted and controlled drug release and delivery, focusing on the progress in drug delivery associated with the use of nano- and microscale dispersed systems.

In this area, dispersed systems play a pivotal role, mainly due to their ability to finely modulate the release of active substances. This is attributed to their capacity to precisely control the release kinetics, making dispersed systems such as micro-/nanoemulsions, multiple emulsions, liposomes and nanosuspensions essential tools for enhancing the effectiveness of drug delivery.

Moreover, dispersed system-based advanced formulations enable the development of pharmaceutical forms that improve the bioavailability of active substances and minimize potential side effects. Consequently, dispersed systems in controlled-release formulations emerge as central contributors to progress in drug delivery, positively impacting therapeutic efficacy and patient comfort.

Dr. Maria Camilla Bergonzi
Dr. Agnieszka Markowska-Radomska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • drug delivery systems
  • controlled drug release
  • dispersed systems
  • microemulsions
  • nanoemulsions
  • multiple emulsions
  • liposomes
  • nanosuspensions
  • self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS)
  • colloids
  • micelles

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 5293 KiB  
Article
A pH-Responsive Poly Beta-Amino Ester Nanoparticulate Thermo-Responsive PEG-PCL-PEG Hydrogel Dispersed System for the Delivery of Interferon Alpha to the Ocular Surface
by Yosra Abdalla, Lisa Claire du Toit, Philemon Ubanako and Yahya Essop Choonara
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(6), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17060709 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 296
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The management of ocular tumours is faced with the challenge of developing a suitable treatment strategy with consideration of the anatomical and physiological protective barriers of the eye. Interferon alpha has been employed to treat patients with ocular tumours for decades; however, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The management of ocular tumours is faced with the challenge of developing a suitable treatment strategy with consideration of the anatomical and physiological protective barriers of the eye. Interferon alpha has been employed to treat patients with ocular tumours for decades; however, its short half-life and poor tolerability necessitate frequent administration. This study focuses on the design of an injectable pH-responsive and protective nanoparticle system dispersed into a thermo-responsive hydrogel for site-specific sustained delivery of interferon alpha (IFN-α2b) in the treatment of ocular surface tumours. Methods: The synthesis of a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-PCL-PEG) triblock copolymer (PECE) was undertaken. The IFN-α2b was encapsulated in poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) nanoparticles (NP) with pH-responsive characteristics to proposedly release the IFNα-2b in response to the acidic nature of the tumour microenvironment. This was followed by characterisation via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and thermal-transition analysis of the PECE hydrogels. Results: Release studies demonstrated that the PBAE nanoparticulate PEG-PCL-PEG hydrogel was both pH-responsive, while providing controlled release of IFN-α2b, and thermo-responsive. Release analysis highlighted that IFN-α2b-loaded NP dispersed into the hydrogel (IFNH) further prolonged the release of IFN-α2b with a pH-responsive yet controlled release rate in an acidic environment simulating a tumour microenvironment. The developed system proved to be biocompatible with human retinal pigment epithelial cells and the released IFN-α demonstrated bioactivity in the presence of an A172 glioblastoma cell line. Conclusions: In conclusion, the PECE hydrogel has promising potential for application as an ocular drug delivery system for the treatment of ocular tumours and could potentially overcome and prevent the drawbacks associated with the commercially available IFN-α2b injection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to Effective Therapeutic Solutions)
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15 pages, 3766 KiB  
Article
Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
by Tomasz R. Sosnowski, Izabela Kazimierczak, Aleksandra Sawczuk, Kamil Janeczek and Andrzej Emeryk
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(6), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17060696 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 359
Abstract
Background: Vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs) are not only used to deliver typical pulmonary drugs but are also a promising platform for novel formulations and therapeutic applications. Typically, these devices operate continuously or on demand and are directly connected to the outflow interface [...] Read more.
Background: Vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs) are not only used to deliver typical pulmonary drugs but are also a promising platform for novel formulations and therapeutic applications. Typically, these devices operate continuously or on demand and are directly connected to the outflow interface (mouthpiece or mask) without valving systems that could spare the drug during exhalation. This paper examines the possibility of increasing the delivery of inhaled budesonide aerosol by attaching a valved holding chamber (VHC) to selected VMNs. Methods: A laboratory in vitro study was conducted for seven budesonide (BUD) nebulization products (0.25 mg/mL). The rates of aerosol delivery from VMNs alone or VMN + VHC systems were determined gravimetrically for a simulated breathing cycle, while droplet size distributions in mists were measured by laser diffraction. Results: The VMN + VHC systems increased the amount of aerosol available for inhalation and the fraction of fine particles that could penetrate the pulmonary region. Depending on the VMN and BUD product, a relative increase of 30–300% in the total drug delivery (T) and 50–350% in the pulmonary drug availability (P) was obtained. The results are explained by the reduction in aerosol losses during exhalation (the fugitive emission) by the VHC and the simultaneous elimination of the largest droplets due to coalescence and deposition in the chamber. Both VMN and BUD affected the aerosol’s properties and discharge mass and thus the actual benefits of the VHC. Conclusions: While the results confirm the superiority of VMN + VHC over VMNs alone in nebulizing BUD suspensions, they also show that it is difficult to predict the effects quantitatively without testing the individual nebulizer–chamber–drug combination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to Effective Therapeutic Solutions)
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Review

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47 pages, 2480 KiB  
Review
Advances in the Functionalization of Vaccine Delivery Systems: Innovative Strategies and Translational Perspectives
by Ingrid Andrêssa de Moura, Anna Jéssica Duarte Silva, Larissa Silva de Macêdo, Karina Mayumi Tani Bezerra de Melo, Lígia Rosa Sales Leal, Benigno Cristofer Flores Espinoza, Maria da Conceição Viana Invenção, Samara Sousa de Pinho and Antonio Carlos de Freitas
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050640 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 761
Abstract
The development of effective vaccines requires a rational design that considers the interaction between antigens, their vectors, and the immune system in addition to the activation of pathways that induce a safe and specific immune response. The efficacy of a vaccine formulation depends [...] Read more.
The development of effective vaccines requires a rational design that considers the interaction between antigens, their vectors, and the immune system in addition to the activation of pathways that induce a safe and specific immune response. The efficacy of a vaccine formulation depends on the nature of the antigen, the protection offered by the delivery system, the ability to potentiate the immune response, and the precise release of the immunogen. Carrier systems such as lipid nanoparticles, polymers, exosomes, and microorganisms can be functionalized by chemical, physical, or biological methods to generate selective and improved biodistribution profiles. These methods enhance interaction with target cells, thereby improving immunological efficacy. The conjugation of specific ligands or the modification of parameters such as shape, charge, and size of vectors can enhance the specificity, stability, and efficiency of antigen transport to cellular compartments, thereby facilitating a robust immune response. This study examines modifications in vaccine delivery systems, focusing on biomolecules and physicochemical changes that enhance antigen presentation. Additionally, we examine innovative methods, including microneedles, electroporation, and needle-free systems that show potential for enhancing the immune response. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to Effective Therapeutic Solutions)
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