Etanercept – A Review on its drug delivery

Etanercept is a fusion protein, prescribed primarily for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. It is being marketed under the brand name of Enbrel. The mechanism of action of this drug includes its ability to bind competitively to Tumor Necrosis Factor TNF alpha and thus prevents interactions with its cell surface receptors leading to inhibition of TNF alpha. Enbrel is available for subcutaneous administration in three dosage forms, a multiple use vial, a prefilled syringe and an auto-injector pen. The latter forms elicit better patient compatibility along with dose accuracy. Studies on other routes of administration of this Etanercept along with innovation in the drug delivery are discussed in the essay. A study discusses the feasibility of conjugating TNF antagonist pharmaceutical preparations with gold nanorods and preservation of the mechanism of action of anti-rheumatic drugs along with preliminary evaluation of novel PAT (Photoacoustic tomography) technology in imaging optical contrast agents conjugated with etanercept. Secondly an investigation of pharmacokinetics and safety of intravitreal delivery of etanercept is done. Lastly Epidural drug delivery of entanercept in treatment for lumbosacral radiculopathy is evaluated. Thus this second generation biopharmaceutical not only holds a promise for a wide range of therapeutics but also proves to be compatible with different approaches in drug delivery.