Drugs for Long Acting Injections and Implants

Abstract

Biomolecules are rarely orally bioavailable and parenteral injections are the industry standard. Development of long acting delivery systems will continue to help biopharmaceuticals reach their full therapeutic potential. Long acting injections have manifested into a range of products designed to target optimal therapeutic dosing requirements (prefilled syringes, long acting injections, sustained release depots, controlled release implants, targeted delivery, and larger payloads). Sustained release implants usually provide a longer term delivery duration than long acting injections and can be categorized into bioerodible systems (rods and cylinders) and implantable devices. This chapter reviews biomolecules currently marketed or in clinical trials, utilizing long acting parenteral technology or sustained/controlled release implants.