Entry requirements

For students from the:

Master's Programmes in Drug Discovery and Development, and Pharmaceutical Modelling the student should have passed the course in Molecular Biopharmaceutics or equivalent.

For acceptance to freestanding course at least 150 credits are required including at least 15 credits in pharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the general entry requirements for first-cycle (Bachelor's level) studies.

Learning outcomes

After course completion, the student should:

• illustrate the role of drug delivery systems during drug development in the pharmaceutical industry
• judge which transport mechanisms and barriers that govern the uptake of drugs via different administration routes
• analyse and discuss challenges associated with the choice of drug delivery system and administration route based on the molecular properties of the drug
• Explain, construct and critically evaluate common drug delivery strategies
• Account for regulatory requirements during the development of drug delivery systems and dosage forms
• Utilize, assess and summarize in written and orally present relevant scientific literature within drug delivery systems, using correct English.

Content

The course gives a deep understanding of the molecular properties of drugs and how they affect the choice of drug delivery system and administration route. Furthermore, it describes how pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models are used to predict the bioavailability and effect of drugs for different administration routes. We relate barrier properties (physiological, biochemical, chemical), transport proteins and enzymes to their importance for drug delivery via different administration routes. This includes cell culture models to study mechanisms of drug transport across biological barriers. We study intracellular drug delivery and subcellular drug distribution and how to choose appropriate drug delivery systems so that drugs can cross these barriers. The course will furthermore cover formulation principles for different administration routes; pulmonary, parenteral, oral, dermal and vaginal. This includes colloidal and semi-solid systems (e.g. liposomes, gels), solid mesoporous carriers, nanocarriers and pro-drug strategies as well as advanced characterization methods for drug delivery systems in silico and in vitro. Finally, we will discuss regulatory aspects when choosing a drug delivery system and dosage form.

Instruction

Teaching is in the form of lectures, discussion seminars and a literature study. Certain parts of the instruction will be carried out digitally.

The course is given in English.

Discussion seminars and the literature study are compulsory.

Assessment

A written examination is conducted at the end of the course. The following is required to pass the course: passed written examination (6 hp) and passed on compulsory parts of the course (literature study: 1 hp, discussion seminars: 0.5 hp).

If special reasons apply, the examiner may make exceptions from the described examination and allow a student to be assessed differently. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the coordinator of the university.