Transdermal Drug Delivery of Insulin with Ultradeformable Carriers

For a long time, scientists believed that macromolecules can only be introduced through the skin with a hypodermic needle or some other harsh treatment that locally damages the skin barrier. It is now clear that macromolecules can be administered epicutaneously, so that insulin, for example, can exhibit therapeutic effects in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. When carriers are employed for the purpose, the drugs must be associated with specifically designed vehicles in the form of highly deformable aggregates and applied on the kin non-occlusively. Using such optimised carriers, so-called Transfersomes®, ensures reproducible and efficient transcutaneous carrier and drug transport.