Gastroretentive technologies in tandem with controlled-release strategies: A potent answer to oral drug bioavailability and patient compliance implications

Vrettos, Napoleon Nikolaos; Roberts, Clive J.; Zhu, Zheying

Abstract

There have been many efforts to improve oral drug bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance. A variety of controlled-release oral delivery systems have been developed to meet these needs. Gastroretentive drug delivery technologies have the potential to achieve retention of the dosage form in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) that can be sufficient to ensure complete solubilisation of the drugs in the stomach fluids, followed by subsequent absorption in the stomach or proximal small intestine. This can be beneficial for drugs that have an “absorption window” or are absorbed to a different extent in various segments of the GIT. Therefore, gastroretentive technologies in tandem with controlled-release strategies could enhance both the therapeutic efficacy of many drugs and improve patient compliance through a reduction in dosing frequency. The paper reviews different gastroretentive drug delivery technologies and controlled-release strategies that can be combined and summarises examples of formulations currently in clinical development and commercially available gastroretentive controlled-release products. The different parameters that need to be considered and monitored during formulation development for these pharmaceutical applications are highlighted.

Citation

Vrettos, N. N., Roberts, C. J., & Zhu, Z. (2021). Gastroretentive technologies in tandem with controlled-release strategies: A potent answer to oral drug bioavailability and patient compliance implications. Pharmaceutics, 13(10), 1-36. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13101591

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Sep 27, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Sep 30, 2021
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 13, 2021
• Journal: Pharmaceutics
• Electronic ISSN: 1999-4923
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 10
• Article Number: 1591
• Pages: 1-36
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13101591
• Keywords: Stomach; absorption window; gastric retention; gastroretentive drug delivery systems; controlled release; patient compliance
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6392766
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/10/1591