Market Challenges: Risk of nasal membrane irritation

The risk of nasal membrane irritation can hamper the global intranasal drug delivery devices market growth. Intranasal delivery of drugs bypass the gastrointestinal tract and hepatic first-pass metabolism, allowing for direct entry of drug molecules into the systemic circulation. However, sensitive nasal mucosa is constantly exposed to active drug and excipient components. Repeated and prolonged exposure can cause irritation, inflammation and damage to the nasal mucosa over time. Patients who experience irritation of the nasal mucosa stop taking their recommended intranasal medication, resulting in non-compliance. Both the treatment and the pharmaceutical businesses that are investing in the creation of intranasal medication delivery systems have suffered greatly as a result of this. For instance, a 2020 study published in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology found that over one-third of patients experienced discomfort following four weeks of daily use of an intranasal steroid spray for allergic rhinitis. Twelve percent of the patients discontinued the medication because of uncomfortable nasal irritation symptoms.

Market Opportunities: Emerging therapeutic applications across diverse disease conditions

Emerging therapeutic applications across diverse disease conditions can offer opportunity for global intranasal drug delivery devices market growth. As researchers continue developing novel therapies for challenging diseases, the intranasal route is showing promise for better treatment outcomes. Intranasal delivery allows drugs to be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream through the highly vascularized nasal mucosa, bypassing the first-pass hepatic metabolism and gastrointestinal degradation, enabling efficient systemic delivery. This makes intranasal delivery an attractive option for time-critical therapies. For example, intranasal spray formulations are being developed for emergency conditions like opioid overdose, insulin for diabetes, and naloxone for opioid overdose. Intranasal delivery is also well suited for central nervous system (CNS) targeting since the nasal cavity provides direct access to the brain via olfactory and trigeminal neurological pathways. Thus, many CNS drug development efforts are now exploring intranasal delivery routes for improved targeting for conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, migraine, and psychiatric disorders.