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Technology was at the forefront of the pharmaceutical and medical fields in 2004, just as it was in most industries. One area in particular that felt technology's impact was drug delivery. In fact, a recent technological breakthrough and a comprehensive study, both released late in the year, clearly show the ongoing promise of drug delivery.

The breakthrough came with the introduction of the Capillary Force Vaporizer (CFV) from Vapore Inc. (www.vapore.com). This new pill-size device generates a powerful vapor "jet" from unpressurized liquid, with no moving parts. Combining capillary force and phase transition into one potent device easily powered by a battery, it also contains a layered porous construction with a peripheral seal and orifice plate on top. When liquid gets into the bottom of the CFV, it spreads throughout the device by capillary means. Heat is then applied to the top surface, resulting in vaporization in the upper layer. As the fluid expands from liquid to vapor, pressure builds inside. The vaporizing material is only briefly exposed to high temperatures, allowing significant quantities of material to be quickly vaporized.

According to its manufacturer, the CFV can vaporize many active drug formulations, including prescription drugs, OTC medications, and self-care products. Indeed, the little device shows big promise for the potential treatment of respiratory and pulmonary conditions.

Elsewhere, needle-free injection (NFI) devices are making great strides. That point was recently driven home in a fascinating report by industry consulting firm Greystone Associates (www.greystoneassociates.org). The study, entitled, "Needle-free Injection: Players, Products, and Prospects," was published in early December and contains comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the technology and products behind this noninvasive segment of the parenteral drug delivery sector. Again, technology is directly behind the segment's products, which are expected to lead a healthy growth pace over the next few years.

As the study points out, NFI is a relatively recent trend that has gained power with the convergence of synthetic materials and computerized design software. Reliable and cost-effective devices continue to hit the market, with new designs under development that will create even more opportunities for the segment. For example, reusable injectors designed to accept prefilled syringes or drug cartridges will improve ease-of-use and increase NFI share of the market, say the report's authors. In addition, disposable prefilled NFI models will likely penetrate selected practitioner segments such as wellness vaccines. Also, partnerships between NFI suppliers and pharmaceutical companies should lead to market acceptance of NFI for a host of new therapies such as therapeutic vaccines, DNA-based drugs, and protein-derived biologics.

The study also predicts that key growth for NFI will be in self-injection (insulin, hGH) and, over the course of the next 10 years, in vaccines, DNA-based drugs, and protein-based medicines. Strategic alliances with drug companies will be the key enabler for NFI participants. The study adds that the majority of NFI suppliers are now engaged in one or more partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.

Based on these two examples, it's clear that drug delivery is and will continue to be a powerful part of the industry going forward. As we saw in 2004, companies were able to create more-effective delivery devices. Look for that trend to continue in 2005 and beyond.