Assessing the potential of skin electroporation for the delivery of protein- and gene-based drugs.
Although transdermal drug delivery has many potential advantages, the permeability of skin to macromolecules is extremely low. However, the application of short, high-voltage pulses to electroporate skin has recently been shown to make it reversibly permeable. A number of studies have demonstrated that electroporation-mediated transdermal delivery of peptides, polysaccharides, oligonucleotides and genes may be possible at clinically relevant rates, leading to the current commercial development of electroporation techniques.
Banga
A K
AK
Department of Pharmacal Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA. bangaak@mail.auburn.edu
Prausnitz
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D018274:Electroporation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011506:Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012867:Skin
D004337:Drug Carriers; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011506:Proteins