Oral Transmucosal Delivery for Improved Drug Bioavailability and Patient Compliance

Since last 15 years the number of 505(b)(2) filings with new dosage forms for existing drug molecules at United states Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has been increased tremendously. This is because of the tremendous increase in the developmental cost of new chemical entities (NCE) and increased concerns about patient preferences and market demands for the novel unconventional dosage forms. These new dosage forms are being developed with improved safety and efficacy together with patient compliance using novel drug delivery technologies [1]. Oral transmucosal drug delivery is rapidly growing as a viable alternative for conventional oral dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, syrups and suspensions due to their obvious advantage like delivering drugs directly into the systemic circulation, avoiding first pass drug metabolism, improved bioavailability, low dose related side effects, non-invasiveness, and lack of discomfort [2]. This editorial addressed briefly on current trend of marketed oral transmucosal drug delivery technologies such as sublingual sprays, sublingual tablets, rapid disintegrating tablets, rapid dissolving films/ wafers, medicated chewing gums, and medicated lollipops. These technologies offer better patient compliance over conventional oral dosage forms especially in patients with difficulties in swallowing as they readily dissolve and/or readily deliver drug in mouth cavity. These technologies are best choice for the systemic delivery of drug molecules sensitive to gastrointestinal pH.