Topical Drug Delivery: From Simple Potions to Smart Technologies

The treatment of burn injuries is one of the major application areas of topical drug delivery. Topical antimicrobial agents such as Fenistil (GSK), Sulfamylon cream (Mylan), Bactroban (GSK), and Silvadene (Pfizer) are considered the first line of treatment for burn injuries in patients.

According to the Lancet Public Health, in 2021, burns were one of the major causes of disability, with more than 8 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The high incidence of burn injuries in major regional segments across the globe has resulted in sustained demand for topical drugs for effective burn treatment and management. Many topical antimicrobial agents are used to cure burns. An antimicrobial agent such as silver sulfadiazine cream is used to treat wound infections in second and third-degree burns patients. However, patients with severe burns or burns over a large area are treated in a hospital. There are many other antibiotic ointments for burns, such as over-the-counter options for an uncomplicated burn.

According to Precedence Research, the global topical drug delivery industry was valued at USD 96 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach over USD 172.54 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR 6.7% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030.

Many topical formulations are available over the counter and include antibacterial & antifungal preparations, anti-inflammatory & pain-relief preparations, and cleansing & moisturizing agents. Topical corticosteroids are used in many inflammatory rashes. However, in some cases, topical corticosteroid sensitivity produces allergic reactions. Usually, this is seen as a failure to cure dermatitis or to worsen existing dermatitis treated with corticosteroids. Very rarely, corticosteroid allergy may appear as an eczematous rash in a completely different area of the body from the original dermatitis. Some topical antibiotics may also cause contact allergies, such as bacitracin, which is used to prevent minor skin injuries such as cuts, scrapes, and burns. Benzocaine and salicylate are some of the active ingredients in topical formulations which causes allergies. These allergies caused by such drugs can be diagnosed by a patch test that can detect contact allergens. Allergy to topical medications is more common in older patients, but some patients with pre-existing skin conditions are at a higher risk of developing allergic reactions to topical medications. These allergies caused by the topical drugs are one of the limitations of the usage of such medicines. In most cases, patients adopt another type of drug delivery system or go for other forms of medicine.

Report Scope of the Topical Drug Delivery Market

Self-administration of drugs within home care settings is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for players operating in the topical drug delivery market. This is mainly due to the rising geriatric population and closing regular OPDs for a few months during COVID-19. Elderly individuals form a large consumer base for topical drugs in-home care. This factor also increases the need for inhalation, topical, and transdermal drug products designed to cater to the needs of caregivers and patients. Transdermal drug delivery enhances the ease of administration of drugs as it uses a transdermal patch that can be easily self-administered. It provides suitable and painless self-administration for patients. This approach helps reduce healthcare costs by reducing the duration of hospital stays. Also, in the case of transdermal patches, caregivers can easily determine if a patch is placed securely. This acts as one of the main opportunities to increase the demand for transdermal patches, boosting the growth of topical drug deliveries.

Topical drug delivery refers to the application of medication to the surface of the skin or within the layers of skin or mucous membrane. Skin acts as a barrier and prevents the penetration of many APIs, even though it is an ideal site to achieve both local and systemic effects via the delivery of drug substances. However, drugs that have a larger particle size are not easily absorbed through the skin. To facilitate skin absorption, the molecular weight of a compound should be under 500 Dalton when developing drug substances for use in topical dermatological therapies. These high molecular weight drugs are poorly lipid-soluble and cannot achieve the desired therapeutic effect and action. Percutaneous absorption decreases with high molecular weight. This decreased therapeutic effect of topical medicines limits the adoption of topical drug delivery.