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Cellulose esters in drug delivery

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Abstract

Cellulose esters have played a vital role in the development of modern drug delivery technology. They possess properties that are not only well-suited to the needs of pharmaceutical applications, but that enable construction of drug delivery systems that address critical patient needs. These properties include very low toxicity, endogenous and/or dietary decomposition products, stability, high water permeability, high T g, film strength, compatibility with a wide range of actives, and ability to form micro- and nanoparticles. This suite of properties has enabled the creation of a wide range of drug delivery systems employing cellulose esters as key ingredients. The following is a review of the most important types of these systems, and of the critical roles played by cellulose esters in making them work, focusing on more recent developments.

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Acknowledgements

My personal thanks go to Andy Singleton and Jinghua Yuan of Eastman for their help with the table of properties of cellulose esters used in current drug delivery applications.

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  1. Eastman Chemical Company, 1972, Kingsport, TN, 37662, USA

    Kevin J. Edgar

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  1. Kevin J. Edgar
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Correspondence to Kevin J. Edgar.

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Edgar, K.J. Cellulose esters in drug delivery. Cellulose 14, 49–64 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-006-9087-7

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