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Development of new drug molecule is expensive and time consuming. Improving safety efficacy ratio of “old” drugs has been attempted using different methods such as individualizing drug therapy, dose titration and therapeutic drug monitoring. Delivering drug at controlled rate, slow delivery, targeted delivery are other very attractive methods and have been pursued vigorously. Numerous animal and human investigations have provided an increased understanding of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles that govern the action and disposition of potent opioid analgesics, inhalation anaesthetic agents, sedative/hypnotics, and muscle relaxants. These studies suggest that skin, buccal and nasal mucous membranes may have use as alternate routes of analgesic and anesthetic delivery. Similar developments with other compounds have produced a plethora of new devices, concepts and techniques that have together been termed controlledrelease technology (CRT). Equally important, these advances may appear attractive relative to the costs of new drug development. Rising research and development costs, alternative investment opportunities for drug firms, fewer firms conducting pharmaceutical research and erosion of effective patent life have resulted in a decline in the introduction of new chemical entities since the late 1950s. Bringing a new drug through discovery, clinical testing, development, and regulatory approval is currently estimated to take a decade and cost well over $ 120 million. Novel drug delivery systems may account for as much as 40% of US marketed drug products by 2000.1-3
