Respiratory drug/vaccine delivery using nanoparticles

Respiratory diseases account for a very significant portion of worldwide morbidity and mortality but to-date only a limited number of therapeutics are available for direct delivery via inhalation. Nanotechnology offers a range of potential benefits to facilitate the targeted delivery/co-delivery of existing therapeutic agents and to support the delivery of more advanced biotherapeutics e.g. proteins, gene medicines. The clinical and commercial translation of inhalable nanomedicines is not trivial and presents significant formulation, manufacturing, assessment and regulatory challenges. Herein, we explore the range of respiratory diseases being targeted using nanoparticle-based delivery systems for therapeutics and vaccines, the composition and manufacture of these nanoparticles, their integration into relevant inhaler devices, the methods being used to characterize these nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo and the regulatory requirements governing inhaled nanomedicines.