Implantable Drug Delivery: Are We There Yet?

By Breck Petrillo, Sr. Director, Commercial Business Development, Battelle Health

Implantable drug delivery systems (IDDS) represent a transformative shift from traditional oral or injectable routes toward sustained, localized, and programmable therapy. By targeting the "Big Four" anatomical regions—the eye, spine, cardiovascular system, and abdomen—these devices maintain precise drug concentrations while reducing the systemic side effects and compliance issues often associated with human intervention.

Despite this promise, broad adoption across all chronic conditions remains a future goal rather than a current reality. Formidable biological hurdles like the blood-brain barrier and the risk of immune rejection continue to limit applications in neurology and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, the transition from simple injections to surgical implantation requires a complex calculus regarding patient preference, reimbursement, and clinical integration. Explore the evolving landscape of IDDS to understand how miniaturization and smart dosing are paving the way for a more personalized era of chronic disease management.