Abstract

Recent advances in the isolation techniques, medicinal chemistry, biotechnology and the capacity for screening new drug compounds have been able to produce several lead molecules. More than likely many potential drugs have been lost because of inadequate formulation strategies during different stages of evaluation. In many cases, the loss could have been due to solubility problems. To maximize the drug potential of all molecules, there has been a renewed effort to find formulation strategies for compounds inadequately soluble in water. Many different drug delivery systems for lipid-soluble compounds have been suggested, but lipid micro sphere (LM) drug delivery system has great potential. The system is time tested, safe and stable at room temperature, easily mass-produced yet cheaper. The drug distribution and targeting can be achieved by manipulating the size, surface charge and surface legands of LM. At present, commercially available lipid micro sphere formulations are few but in future this system will find considerable share in the market.