Novel Drug Delivery Technologies For The Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease and a major cause of disability. Current treatment of arthritis involves administration of drugs mainly by oral and parenteral route. Frequent dosing often leads to patient non compliance. Accounting this problem, drug delivery technologies should be developed which reduces frequency of dosing along with sustained release of medicament. Various drug delivery systems are documented like albumin-based drug delivery systems, bio-reductive drug delivery systems, microspheres, nanoparticles, liposomes etc. Conventional drugs like indomethacin, magestrol acetate, methotrexate and cannabidiol have been modified into extended release formulations, nano crystal oral suspensions, topical gel and transdermal patch respectively. Targeting αγβ3 integrin has been shown to enhance drug delivery. Drugs delivered by intranasal route significantly reduce disease severity in experimental collagen induced arthritis model. This review reports a comprehensive overview of newly developed drug delivery technologies as therapeutic targets of rheumatoid arthritis which may potentially reduce adverse extra-articular side effects.