Current and Future Perspectives in Dermal and Transdermal Drug Delivery

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 August 2026 | Viewed by 1072

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Institute of Pharmaceutical Technologies, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
2. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: dermatological products; design of experiments; in vitro release; ex vivo skin penetration; emulgels; hydrogels; polymeric films

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Guest Editor
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: clinical pharmacy; biopharmaceutics; transdermal delivery; pharmaceutical biotechnology

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Guest Editor Assistant
1. Institute of Pharmaceutical Technologies, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
2. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: dermatological products; rheology; in vitro release; ex vivo skin penetration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dermal and transdermal drug delivery continue to evolve as pivotal strategies for both localized and systemic therapy, driven by advances in formulation science, device technologies, and translational research. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current achievements while critically exploring future directions that will shape the next generation of skin-based therapeutics.

The collection will feature original research articles and authoritative reviews addressing innovative formulation approaches, including lipid- and polymer-based carriers, nanostructured systems, and prodrug strategies designed to overcome the skin barrier and optimize therapeutic performance. Emphasis will be placed on physical and device-assisted delivery technologies—microneedles, laser-assisted permeabilization, iontophoresis, and wearable platforms—that are redefining the possibilities of controlled and patient-centric drug administration.

Contributions will also highlight advances in predictive models for skin delivery, encompassing in vitro and ex vivo methodologies, in vitro–in vivo correlations, and emerging in silico and AI-driven tools that support rational product development. Finally, this Special Issue will address translational, regulatory, and manufacturing challenges, including Quality by Design, bioavailability and bioequivalence assessment, and pathways for clinical implementation.

By integrating fundamental science with applied innovation, this collection seeks to offer a forward-looking perspective on how dermal and transdermal drug delivery can meet future therapeutic, technological, and regulatory demands.

Subtopics of interest include:

  1. Advanced formulation strategies for dermal and transdermal delivery;
  2. Physical and device-assisted technologies for skin permeabilization;
  3. Targeted and precision delivery to skin and systemic circulation;
  4. In vitro, in vivo, and in silico models for predictive skin delivery.

Any research topic on emerging platforms for dermal and transdermal therapeutics will be considered.

Dr. Modestas Žilius
Prof. Dr. Vitalis Briedis
Guest Editors

Dr. Agnė Mazurkevičiūtė
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • dermal/transdermal delivery
  • skin penetration/permeation
  • physical/targeted delivery
  • device technology
  • formulation approaches
  • predictive models

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

49 pages, 4850 KB  
Review
Ultradeformable Vesicles for Wound Healing: Ethosomes, Transferosomes, and Transethosomes in Topical Drug Delivery
by Shery Jacob, Namitha Raichel Varkey and Anroop B. Nair
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(3), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18030361 - 13 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 767
Abstract
Wound healing is a dynamic and multifaceted biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Topical therapy is widely preferred for wound management due to its localized action and reduced systemic adverse effects. However, the effective delivery of therapeutic agents is often [...] Read more.
Wound healing is a dynamic and multifaceted biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Topical therapy is widely preferred for wound management due to its localized action and reduced systemic adverse effects. However, the effective delivery of therapeutic agents is often limited by the skin’s barrier properties, the complex wound microenvironment, and the physicochemical characteristics of drugs. This review highlights the key physicochemical parameters governing topical drug delivery in wound therapy, including drug solubility, molecular size, lipophilicity, vesicle size distribution, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, lipid composition, ethanol concentration, and vesicle deformability, which collectively influence drug permeation and retention at the wound site. Nanovesicular delivery systems have emerged as promising strategies to overcome these limitations. In particular, ultradeformable vesicles such as ethosomes, transferosomes, and transethosomes have demonstrated enhanced skin permeation and improved drug deposition in periwound tissue due to their flexible membrane structure and optimized physicochemical properties. This review systematically discusses the composition, preparation techniques, and critical formulation parameters of these vesicular systems that determine their stability, elasticity, and permeation performance. Furthermore, their applications in delivering anti-inflammatory drugs, antimicrobial agents, bioactive phytochemicals, and regenerative therapeutics for different wound types are examined. Widely used in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo evaluation methods, including permeation studies and wound healing models such as excision, burn, infected, and diabetic wounds, are also summarized. Finally, the review outlines current challenges related to formulation standardization, physicochemical characterization, safety assessment, and large-scale production, while highlighting the future potential of ultradeformable vesicles as next-generation nanocarriers for advanced wound healing therapies. Full article
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