FLOATING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES, RECENT ADVANCEMENTS, AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The development of Gastro-Retentive Drug Delivery Systems (GRDDS), especially Floating Drug Delivery Systems (FDDS), which extend gastric residence time and improve the bioavailability of medications with limited absorption windows, acid-soluble medications, and those requiring localized gastric action, has greatly advanced oral controlled-release drug delivery. In order to obtain dependable stomach retention, floating, swellable, expandable, mucoadhesive, and raft-forming platforms must be designed because conventional oral systems fail due to quick gastric emptying, variable motility, and partial drug release. In order to provide buoyancy and sustained release for ten to twenty-four hours, FDDS reduce dosage-form density through gas production or polymer swelling. Recent developments include super porous hydrogels that react to gastric pH and ionic conditions, nanosized citrus pectin-based in-situ rafts, and hybrid systems that combine flotation with mucoadhesion or expansion. By providing exact control over geometry, porosity, density, and multi-compartment structures, additive manufacturing (3D printing) has further revolutionized GRDDS, permitting complicated release patterns and individualized therapy. Despite their promise, GRDDS face challenges like physiological variability, inconsistent buoyancy in fasted conditions, manufacturing complexities, and regulatory requirements for proving in-vivo retention and safety. Looking ahead, there is an emphasis on multimodal systems that integrate various retention mechanisms. AI-driven formulation design can help optimize polymer behavior and buoyancy. Additionally, biomimetic devices are being developed to mimic gastric physiology.All of these developments put next-generation GRDDS in a position to be extremely flexible platforms that can support personalized medicine for a variety of gastric and upper-intestinal disorders, increase therapeutic efficacy, and decrease dosing frequency.