SKIN ADHESIVES AND SKIN ADHESION 1 - TRANSDERMAL DRUG-DELIVERY SYSTEMS

The use of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) for skin-contact applic ations is discussed. The requirements of such adhesives in various app lications are examined in detail. Commercially available classes of PS As used for skin-contact applications are the acrylics. the polyisobut ylenes, and the silicones. The main application examined in this revie w is transdermal drug delivery. The roles played by the PSA in two typ es of transdermal designs are described. Correlations between in vivo and ex vivo measurements of adhesion are discussed, Also, the reported human studies of various commercially available transdermals are exam ined critically, with a view to assessing the relative performance cap abilities of each type of transdermal design. Finally, a comprehensive listing of currently commercialized transdermals is given. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.