Advances in Delivery Systems for Antidiabetic Drugs and Beyond Glycaemic Control

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 January 2026 | Viewed by 278

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
2. Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley Campus, Bldg 305, Room 124, Bentley 6102, Australia
Interests: pharmaceutical innovation; diabetes; biopolymers

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
2. Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley Campus, Bldg 305, Room 124, Bentley 6102, Australia
3. Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, Thailand
Interests: drug delivery; nanoparticles; diabetes
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Diabetes is a serious endocrinological disease that affects many body organs. Early diagnosis and suitable treatment are highly recommended to prevent the sequelae of this metabolic disorder. Researchers over decades have attempted to optimise the pharmacological benefits of different therapeutics, peptides and herbal isolates to either reverse the hyperglycaemic state or to maintain normoglycaemia over long periods of time. Such scrutinised physiological control could only be achieved through advanced pharmaceutical delivery systems and new platforms in the therapeutic delivery of antidiabetic agents. This Special Issue is aiming to highlight the state-of-the art drug delivery systems, platforms and devices for antidiabetic therapeutics. This Special Issue covers the application of pharmaceutical technologies employed in the advancements of the therapeutic delivery of insulin, biguanides, sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, thiazolidinediones and herbal isolates.

 This issue covers but is not limited to the following:

  • Novel approaches in medical devices and diagnostics of diabetes.
  • Novel pharmaceutical scaffolds for targeted drug delivery of anti-diabetics.
  • Novel implantable devices, inserts and transdermal patches of antidiabetics.
  • Novel injectable, rectal, sublingual and other pharmaceutical routes that bypass hepatic metabolism of antidiabetics.
  • Novel micro/ nanoscale biomaterials and biodegradable polymers employed in antidiabetic delivery.
  • New formulation approaches of antidiabetics such as pH-responsive systems and 3D printing.
  • New functionalised polymers/biopolymers, self-assembly and electrospinning approaches of anti-diabetics.
  • Novel pharmaceutical coatings for site specific anti-diabetic release.
  • The use of AI in pharmaceutical design and optimisation of the delivery and the pharmacokinetics of anti-diabetic agents.
  • Pharmaceutical technologies for optimised pharmacokinetics of anti-diabetic agents.
  • New therapeutic applications and novel findings of old antidiabetic agents beyond the glycaemic effects.

The issue welcomes original research papers, mini-review articles, short communications, expert opinions, and critical reviews.

Dr. Ahmed Gedawy
Prof. Dr. Crispin R. Dass
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • diabetes
  • biopolymers
  • patches
  • nanocarriers
  • inserts
  • pharmacokinetics
  • diagnostics
  • devices

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 4567 KB  
Article
Systematic Development and Characterization of Enzyme-Free, Borax-Crosslinked Microneedles for Glucose-Responsive Insulin Delivery and In Vivo Glycemic Mitigation
by Cuc Thi Dinh, Linh Phuong Nguyen, Uyen Thu Pham, Anh Mai Nguyen, Hanh Thi My Do, Toan Quoc Tran, Phuong Duc Luu, Tien Duy Doan, Mo Thi Hong Bui and Duong Thanh Nguyen
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(12), 1578; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17121578 - 8 Dec 2025
Abstract
Background: Conventional insulin injections cannot mimic physiological pancreatic function and often lead to dangerous hypoglycemic events that glucose-responsive systems aim to prevent. Glucose-responsive microneedles (MNs) offer a promising closed-loop alternative. We developed an enzyme-free, glucose-responsive MN patch composed of a PVA/Dextran hydrogel dynamically [...] Read more.
Background: Conventional insulin injections cannot mimic physiological pancreatic function and often lead to dangerous hypoglycemic events that glucose-responsive systems aim to prevent. Glucose-responsive microneedles (MNs) offer a promising closed-loop alternative. We developed an enzyme-free, glucose-responsive MN patch composed of a PVA/Dextran hydrogel dynamically crosslinked with borax, and evaluated its performance, biosafety, and in vivo efficacy. Methods: MNs were fabricated from PVA/Dextran via micromolding and crosslinked with borax. The formulation was systematically optimized based on mechanical properties and glucose-responsive release kinetics. Physicochemical properties, biosafety (cytotoxicity, skin barrier recovery, boron leaching), and in vivo efficacy in a type 1 diabetic mouse model were evaluated in comparison to a subcutaneous (SC) insulin injection. Results: The optimized MNs showed robust mechanics (per-needle fracture force approximately 1.0 N) for reliable skin penetration. The system demonstrated clear glucose sensitivity, with a release flux ratio ≥1.5 between hyperglycemic (e.g., 400 mg·dL−1) and normoglycemic (100 mg·dL−1) conditions and exhibited excellent reversibility under alternating glucose levels. The patch was highly biocompatible, with >95% cell viability, the only transient skin barrier disruption that fully recovered within 24 h, and had low boron release from patches in vitro. In vivo, the optimized sI-MN patch demonstrated a sustained, glucose-responsive release profile, maintaining blood glucose in diabetic mice near 100 mg·dL−1 for approximately 8 h. This pharmacokinetic profile contrasts markedly with the rapid hypoglycemic nadir and rebound hyperglycemia observed with a standard subcutaneous insulin bolus, highlighting the patch’s potential for mitigating hypoglycemia. Conclusions: The enzyme-free PVA/Dextran/borax MN patch enables autonomous, glucose-responsive insulin delivery. It provides more stable and safer glycemic control than conventional injections by mitigating the risk of hypoglycemia. By mitigating the hypoglycemic risk associated with bolus injections, this systematically optimized platform represents a potential step toward a safer, patient-friendly diabetes therapy, though significant challenges in duration and dose scaling remain. Full article
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