Protein and peptide drug delivery system

Abstract

In the last three decades therapeutic uses of peptides and proteins has risen in prominence as potential drug of future. Proteins are polymers consisting of amino acids covalently linked by peptide bonds. Peptides are small proteins composed of upto a few dozen amino acids proteins are rapidly degraded by digestive enzymes. Till recently injections (i.e., intra venous, intra muscular, subcutaneous route) remain the most common for administering these proteins and peptide drugs. The alternate routes that have been tried with varying degrees of success the oral, buccal, intranasal, pulmonary, transdermal, ocular and rectal. In this review the aim is to focus on the various approaches for delivery of peptide and protein drugs. With the discovery of insulin in 1922, identification and commercialization of potential protein and peptide drugs have been increased. Since then, research and development to improve the means of delivering protein therapeutics to patients has begun.