Transdermal patch market grows to US$7bn

Published: 8-Jan-2016

New applications continue to emerge for transdermal drug delivery, including migraine, HIV, osteoporosis, stroke and restless leg syndrome treatments


The global market for transdermal patch drug delivery reached US$7bn in 2015, an increase of $238m compared with 2014, according to Kalorama Information.

In the transdermal route of delivery, drugs are administered by applying a patch to the skin. The drugs, sometimes mixed with a chemical that enhances skin penetration, pass through the skin to the bloodstream without injection. The transdermal route allows drugs to be delivered slowly and continuously for many hours or days, or even longer.

‘New applications continue to emerge for transdermal drug delivery, including migraine, HIV, osteoporosis, stroke and restless leg syndrome treatments,’ said Bruce Carlson, Publisher, Kalorama Information.

Transdermal drug delivery is a well-established route of administration for therapeutically beneficial medicines. Some therapeutic areas stand out, including sex hormones and pain management, owing to the successful combination of the individual drug molecules and available product technologies. The potential benefits that may be achieved using transdermal delivery include continuous, controlled release and the absorption of medication into the body, improved patient compliance by offering convenient dosing regimens such as once or twice weekly dosing, and the ability to quickly discontinue treatment by removing the patch system.

To date, there are numerous transdermal products that have gained significant commercial success and provided unique benefits for patients. In addition to those mentioned previously, smoking cessation, hypertension, pain management and motion sickness are other areas with important transdermal products available.

Certainly, challenges remain for the development of transdermal drug delivery systems, but continued research is likely to break down the barriers that limit the types of drug molecules that can be delivered through the skin.

The transdermal drug delivery market consists of many companies, including large and small pharmaceutical companies as well as large and small drug delivery companies. The competition among participants is intensifying to provide the best possible vehicle for the administration of pharmaceutical products. Further information is available here.

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