Formulation aspects of nanopharmaceuticals and nanotechnology I Introduction, biopharmaceutical aspects.

Active pharmaceutical ingredients may have unique properties when applied as nanoparticles or in nanostructured carrier systems due to the size and shape, as well as to the high surface to volume ratio. Therefore nanopharmaceuticals are surrounded by huge expectations on the part of nanomedicine and today nanotechnology is crucial for the development of pharmaceutical products. Nanopharmaceuticals have several benefits such as improved dissolution and bioavailability, targeted drug delivery, and they allow the introduction of nanotheranos tics. All these advantages offer an unprecedented opportunity for personalized therapy, aiding also the patient-centered formulation in order to ensure the efficacy and tolerability. Nanoparticle or nano-structured drugs offer unique advantages, but on the other hand the formulation could be a challenge which can be compared to their specific characteristics.