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8409521 
Journal Article 
Drug delivery and formulations 
Breitkreutz, J; Boos, J 
2011 
0 
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
ISSN: 0171-2004 
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology 
205 
91-107 
English 
Paediatric drug delivery is a major challenge in drug development. Because of the heterogeneous nature of the patient group, ranging from newborns to adolescents, there is a need to use appropriate excipients, drug dosage forms and delivery devices for different age groups. So far, there is a lack of suitable and safe drug formulations for children, especially for the very young and seriously ill patients. The new EU legislation will enforce paediatric clinical trials and drug development. Current advances in paediatric drug delivery include interesting new concepts such as fast-dissolving drug formulations, including orodispersible tablets and oral thin strips (buccal wafers), and multiparticulate dosage forms based on mini-tabletting or pelletization technologies. Parenteral administration is likely to remain the first choice for children in the neonatal period and for emergency cases. Alternative routes of administration include transdermal, pulmonary and nasal drug delivery systems. A few products are already available on the market, but others still need further investigations and clinical proof of concept. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. 
Child-appropriate dosage forms; Compliance; Drug delivery devices; Excipients toxicity; Paediatric drug formulations 
Rane A.