Therapeutic patents for topical and transdermal drug delivery systems

For more than 30 years techniques of delivering drugs through skin have been elaborated as clinically relevant methods to administer therapeutic agents. The great contributions of transdermal and topical administrations on clinical therapeutics are firmly based on their distinctive properties. Progress in new technologies and compound is continuously stimulating the growth and revolution of topical and transdermal administration. This review summarises recent developments in the design of formulations and the patent literature in the area of topical and transdermal drug delivery systems.