ABSTRACT
According to Find/SVP market reports, U.S. sales in drug delivery systems surpassed $9 billion in 1999. The development of alternative drug therapies has been a major thrust over the past three decades. Alternative drug delivery devices, which cater to the increasing emphasis on cost-containment through outpatient care, include ambulatory infusion pumps, implanted infusion pumps, inhalers, other nasal delivery systems, injector pen systems, needleless systems, and transdermal systems. Emerging alternative drug delivery systems throughout the world include aerosol macromolecule and protein delivery systems, biologic and molecular systems, electrotransport and iontophoretic transdermal systems, and gene therapy.1-8
Despite the significant advances in the industry, it is estimated that fewer than 30% of the drugs currently on the market involve alternative drug delivery systems. Development has been slowed by the high costs of research and development of new technologies and by the lengthy procedures needed to secure approval from the regulatory agencies. Nonetheless, increasing concern over the high level of health care expenditures is expected to support the growth of cost-effective novel drug delivery systems.
