ABSTRACT
Spray drying has been widely employed within the pharmaceutical industry, due to its ability to convert liquid drug systems into solid/powder forms, which affords a multitude of commercial benefits such as enhanced physicochemical/storage stability and improved flow and tableting properties. However, in recent years, spray drying has moved from being a simple drying technique into a formulation approach that offers a variety of advantages for overcoming the biopharmaceutical challenges associated with the possible problematic therapeutics. By employing a microencapsulation formulation design, where the bioactive component is typically encapsulated within a particulate carrier system, novel drug vehicles can be synthesized with drug- and administration-dependent properties to enhance their therapeutic response. Herein, the specific focus of this chapter is attributed to highlighting the potential for spray drying technique to engineer innovative carrier systems that can enhance drug delivery for a range of administration routes, with additional emphasis placed on understanding the role of microparticle structure and chemistry on drug delivery performance. In doing so, this chapter will serve as a guide for the future development of novel micro- and nanocarrier systems designed to enhance the therapeutic performance of challenging bioactives.
