Biocompatibility and drug delivery systems

Drug delivery technology has emerged as an important focus of biotechnological research and commercial enterprise. While much attention is justifiably focused on the design and effectiveness of drug delivery devices, the nature of their interaction with surrounding tissues – their biocompatibility – is crucial. Here we discuss biocompatibility, specifically as it relates to drug delivery systems, which differ from other biomaterial-based devices by possibly containing large quantities of drugs with their own effects on tissues.