Nanosuspensions

Abstract

A large proportion of new drug candidates are poorly soluble in water, and therefore have poor bioavailability. A promising approach to overcome solubility problems is the production of nanoparticles (i.e., nanosuspensions). Parenteral nanoparticulate formulations provide an effective way of achieving high drug concentrations with low toxicity and can be administered via the intravenous (IV) route. Major advantages of this technology include ease of scale up and applicability to most drug candidates. Abraxane (R) was the first FDA approved (2005) IV nanoparticulate product available on the market. This chapter reviews various methods of nanoparticle production and characterization. In addition, formulation considerations and ongoing research specific to parenteral nanoparticles/nanosuspensions are described.