Physical drug delivery enhancement for aged skin, UV damaged skin and skin cancer: Translation and commercialization

Abstract

This review analyses physical drug delivery enhancement technologies with a focus on improving UV damaged skin, actinic keratoses and non-melanoma skin cancer treatment. In recent years, physical drug delivery enhancement has been shown to enhance cosmeceutical and skin cancer treatment efficacy, but there are pros and cons to each approach which we discuss in detail. Mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, experimental design, outcomes in academic publications, clinical trial reports and patents are explored to evaluate each technology with a critical, translation focused lens. We conclude that the commercial success of cosmeceutical applications, e.g. microneedles, will drive further innovation in this arena that will impact how actinic keratoses and non-melanoma skin cancers are clinically managed.

Keywords: 5-aminolevulinic acid; 5-fluorouricil; Actinic keratosis; Antioxidants; Basal cell carcinoma; Cosmeceutical; Cosmetic; Elongated microparticles; Foroderm; Glycolic acid; Hyaluronic acid; Hydroxy acids; Imiquimod; Ingenol mebutate; Iontophoresis; Methyl aminolevulinate; Microneedle; Non-melanoma skin cancer; Photoaged skin; Physical drug delivery enhancement.