Wireless on-demand drug delivery

Abstract

Wireless on-demand drug delivery systems exploit exogenous stimuli—acoustic waves, electric fields, magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation—to trigger drug carriers. The approach allows drugs to be delivered with controlled release profiles and minimal off-target effects. Recent advances in electronics and materials engineering have led to the development of sophisticated systems designed for specific applications. Here we review the development of wireless on-demand drug delivery systems. We examine the working mechanisms, applications, advantages and limitations of systems that are triggered by electric fields, magnetic fields or electromagnetic radiation. We also provide design guidelines for the development of such systems, including key metrics for evaluating the practicality of different smart drug delivery systems.