MICROENCAPSULATED TRANSDERMAL PENETRATION ENHANCES

THE TRANSDERMAL ROUTE TO DRUG DELIVERY HAS THE ADVANTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH RATE-CONTROLLED DRUG-DELIVERY SYSTEMS (E.G.,GREATER SAFETY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND CONVENIENCE). IN ADDITION, UNLIKE OTHER RATE-CONTROLLED SYSTEMS, TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY AVOIDS HEPATIC "FIRST-PASS" EFFECTS AND GASTROINTESTINAL INCOMPATIBILITY, AND OFFERS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED DRUG DELIVERY. THE PRIMARY FACTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIMITED USE OF TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY IS THE LOW TRANSDERMAL PERMEABILITY OF MOST DRUGS. ALTHOUGH A NUMBER OF AGENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT INCREASE THE TRANSDERMAL PERMEATION OF SPECIFIC DRUGS, THE UTILITY OF SUCH AGENTS, TERMED PENETRATION ENHANCERS, IS OFTEN LIMITED BY RAPID CLEARANCE FROM THE APPLICATION SITE THROUGH EVAPORATION OR TRANSDERMAL PERMEATION. IN THIS RESEARCH, BEND RESEARCH, INC., WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THE UTILITY OF PENETRATION ENHANCERS CAN BE INCREASED BY SUSTAINING THEIR DELIVERY TO THE SKIN SURFACE. THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT MICROENCAPSULATED ENHANCERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE ENHANCEMENT PROPERTIES OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. BY SUSTAINING THE DELIVERY OF ENHANCERS, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE AMOUNT OF DRUG THAT CAN BE DELIVERED IN A SINGLE TOPICAL APPLICATION WILL BE INCREASED AND THE DELIVERY LIFETIMES OF CURRENT TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS WILL BE EXTENDED.