Targeted Topical Drug Delivery: Improving the Efficacy of Local Therapy and Decreasing the Risk of Off-Target Side-Effects

Dear Colelagues,

Parts of the body directly in contact with the external environment (e.g., skin, eyes, nails, the buccal cavity or lungs) are often host to local diseases, e.g., viral, fungal, and bacterial infections and autoimmune conditions, to name but a few. Progress in modern evidence-based medicine and pharmaceutical research has enabled the successful management of these conditions and undeniably led to improvement in patients’ quality of life. Nevertheless, despite the accessibility of these regions, too many drugs are still administered far from the diseased site, i.e., orally or parenterally. Only a small fraction of the administered dose reaches the peripheral target site, and even then, it can be at suboptimal concentrations.

Topical drug delivery allows the API to be conveyed directly to its site of action, providing relevant therapeutic concentrations and avoiding unnecessary systemic circulation, first-pass hepatic metabolism, and off-target side-effects. Nevertheless, topical delivery is often challenging because organs exposed to the environment possess effective barrier functions that hinder the entry of xenobiotics.

This Special Issue aims to reflect the ongoing research effort in the field of topical drug delivery and how this might positively influence the benefit/risk ratio and thus improve patient care. We invite articles on all aspects of targeted topical drug delivery, with an emphasis on improving efficacy and safety.

Prof. Dr. Yogeshvar N. Kalia
Dr. Maria Lapteva
Guest Editors

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