Peptide Drug Delivery

Effective delivery remains one of the greatest challenges in peptide therapeutic development. This section examines the technologies and strategies that enable peptides to reach their targets with optimal bioavailability and minimal degradation.

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Oral Peptide Delivery Strategies

Technologies enabling oral peptide bioavailability — permeation enhancers, enzyme inhibitors, enteric coatings, and nanoparticle-based oral delivery systems.

→ SNAC and other absorption enhancers

→ Protease inhibitor co-formulation

→ Gastrointestinal barriers to peptide absorption

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Transdermal Peptide Delivery

Microneedle arrays, iontophoresis, sonophoresis, and chemical penetration enhancers for non-invasive transdermal peptide administration.

→ Dissolving and hollow microneedles

→ Iontophoresis principles and devices

→ Stratum corneum barrier function

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Nanoparticle-Based Peptide Delivery

Lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, PLGA microspheres, and dendrimer-based carriers for controlled peptide release.

→ Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation

→ PLGA degradation and release kinetics

→ Targeted nanoparticle surface modification

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Injectable Depot Formulations

Long-acting injectable technologies — in situ forming depots, microsphere suspensions, and hydrogel-based sustained release for peptide therapeutics.

→ Phase separation depot systems

→ PLGA microsphere technology

→ Hydrogel depot design principles

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Targeted Peptide Drug Delivery

Active targeting strategies using peptide ligands, cell-penetrating peptides, antibody-drug conjugates, and tumor-homing peptide delivery systems.

→ RGD and NGR tumor-homing peptides

→ Blood-brain barrier penetration strategies

→ Receptor-mediated transcytosis