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Zacchè MM, Srikrishna S, Cardozo L. Novel targeted bladder drug-delivery systems: a review. Res Rep Urol. 2015 Nov 23;7:169-78. doi: 10.2147/RRU.S56168. eCollection 2015.

This review focuses on novel drug-delivery systems that are being used to treat interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) as well as other bladder conditions, such as overactive bladder and recurrent urinary tract infections. Drug-delivery systems are designed to control how a drug is released, and can change the time, rate, and/or place of drug release. This can not only increase the efficacy of a drug (e.g., by prolonging the time that the diseased tissue gets exposed to the drug), but also potentially reduce side effects from the drug. The article emphasizes newer formulations of well-known agents such as oxybutynin, polymeric hydrogels, intravesical devices, and encapsulated drug-delivery systems. In the future, explorations of nanotechnology and gene therapy could provide novel and potentially more effective applications of drug-delivery systems in bladder disorders.