Optimizing Poorly Soluble Drugs: Advances in Mesoporous Silica-Based Formulations

The challenge of improving the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs has become increasingly critical in oral drug delivery, where low bioavailability can limit therapeutic effectiveness. Mesoporous silica materials (MSMs), with their high surface area, tuneable pore sizes, and biocompatibility, have emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing drug dissolution rates. This review provides a comprehensive overview of MSMs, particularly focusing on commercially available variants, and their application in formulating amorphous solid dispersions for solubility enhancement. We discuss various drug-loading techniques, including solvent-based and non-solvent-based methods, highlighting their impact on drug stability, amorphization, and release profiles. The review also addresses key factors influencing drug release from MSMs, such as particle characteristics and environmental conditions, alongside successful case studies demonstrating improved bioavailability. Despite the promising results, challenges in scaling up MSM-based formulations for industrial production remain. Future directions in MSM technology development and regulatory considerations are explored, emphasizing the potential of these materials in revolutionizing drug delivery systems for poorly soluble drugs.