Triggered drug delivery from biomaterials.
BACKGROUND
Conventional dosing methods are frequently unable to deliver the clinical requirement of the patient. The ability to control the delivery of drugs from implanted materials is difficult to achieve, but offers promise in diverse areas such as infection-resistant medical devices and responsive implants for diabetics.


METHODS
This review gives a broad overview of recent progress in the use of triggers that can be used to achieve modulation of drug release rates from implantable biomaterials. In particular, these can be classified as being responsive to one or more of the following stimuli: a chemical species, light, heat, magnetism, ultrasound and mechanical force.


RESULTS
An overview of the potential for triggered drug delivery to give methods for tailoring the dose, location and time of release of a wide range of drugs where traditional dosing methods are not suitable. Particular emphasis is given to recently reported systems, and important historical reports are included.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of externally or internally applied triggers of drug delivery to biomaterials has significant potential for improved delivery modalities and infection resistance.
McCoy
Colin P
CP
Queen's University Belfast, School of Pharmacy, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, UK. c.mccoy@qub.ac.uk
Brady
Christopher
C
Cowley
John F
JF
McGlinchey
Seana M
SM
McGoldrick
Niamh
N
Kinnear
Deborah J
DJ
Andrews
Gavin P
GP
Jones
David S
DS
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations