Systemic drug delivery using inhalation aerosols presents requirements and challenges. To be well absorbed from the lung, a compound needs to be delivered to the alveolar region and recent high technology inhaler systems have allowed increased efficiency of drug administration to the deep lung. Yet, clearance mechanisms within the respiratory tissue operate effectively and considerably diminish bioavailabilities. Methods for enhancing drug absorption from the lung have been investigated. Viable and recent strategies to accelerate drug transport across respiratory epithelia or to decrease the rate of local degradation processes are reported.
Vanbever, R. (2005). Performance-driven, pulmonary delivery of systemically acting drugs. Drug Discovery Today: Technologies, 2(1), 39-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ddtec.2005.05.016 (Original work published 2005)