One of the driving factors of this industry is the convenience and home use appeal for patients. Not only is first generation transdermal delivery safe and effective, it also has the benefit of being low cost. The use of physical enhancers may require electrical hand-held devices and so are more expensive, however they have the advantage of being able to deliver macromolecules and vaccines. As with most fast paced markets, advances in technology is a major driving force and the transdermal drug delivery market is no exception. The development of microneedles to enhance absorption has opened up market opportunities for transdermal peptide and vaccine delivery. An added advantage is the ability of microneedles to be incorporated in a single-use patch that is low cost and does not require an electrical current. A disadvantage of this method is that it is more invasive and so raises health and safety concerns. Moreover, it is anticipated that TDDS will revolutionize how vaccines are administered in the future. This technology would lend itself to infant vaccine programs, and also annual influenza vaccines which are particularly important in the geriatric and immunocompromised markets. Disadvantages of using the skin as a primary delivery receptacle include rash, sensitization and allergy. Currently, a number of active agents are regulatory approved for TDDS delivery, including sumatriptan (migraine), buprenorphine (chronic pain), oxybutynin (overactive bladder), rivastigmine (dementia), selegiline (depression), methylphenidate (ADHD), rotigotine (Parkinson’s Disease) and fentanyl (post-operative pain). Lidocaine is one of the original active ingredients used for transdermal delivery and is a major player within the local analgesic market.

The global transdermal drug delivery system market is segmented based on type and application. Based on type the market is split into transdermal patches and transdermal semisolids. Application wise the market is segmented into pain management, hormonal applications, central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular diseases and other applications.

The pain management segment is projected to account for the largest market share of the transdermal drug delivery systems market. Transdermal drug delivery poses a safer and preferred alternative to oral drug delivery as well as parenteral administration for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs due to various reasons. One advantage is that the transdermal route avoids the metabolism of the drug inside the liver and its rapid absorption inside the GI tract, thus avoiding the risk of internal bleeding and irritation. Additionally, TDDS typically avoids painful administration or other unwanted systemic side effects that may occur with oral administration. TDDS are designed to deliver a predetermined amount of drug through the stratum corneum and subsequently the systemic circulation. However, the choice of drug for TDDS depends on the size of the drug, as it should efficiently pass through the skin pores.

North America accounted for the largest share of the global transdermal drug delivery system market in 2020 and is expected to retain its position through 2028. Moreover, Asia is likely to show lucrative growth during the forecast period.

In India, transdermal drug delivery system has been in existence for a long time. Moreover, cardiovascular/ antihypertensive diseases are the major concern of death in India. Cardiovascular diseases account for more than 30% of deaths globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that low and middle income countries are disproportionately affected. About, 82% of CVD deaths take place in low and middle income countries and occur almost equally in men and women. In order to deliver therapeutic agents through the human skin for systemic effects of the cardiovascular/antihypertensive diseases, the comprehensive morphological, biophysical and physicochemical properties of the skin are to be considered. A lot of Indian pharmaceutical giants are seen pouring into R&D activities to develop TDDS for life threatening diseases. All in all, the Asian market for transdermal products has been in a significant upward trend that is probable to remain for the foreseeable future.