Pharmaceutics & Novel Drug Delivery Systems

Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals

Biotherapy is also termed as Biological Therapy or Immunotherapy. It is a type of treatment that uses the substances made from living organisms such as a virus, gene, or a protein to treat a disease. Those substances may occur naturally in the body or may be made in the laboratory. Common biological agents used are:

• Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors
• B-cell inhibitors
• Interleukins (IL) inhibitors
• Selective co-stimulation modulators

Radiopharmaceuticals are also known as medicinal radio compounds are unique medicinal formulations that contain radioisotopes. Radioisotopes are bound to biological molecules able to target specific organs, tissues, or cells within the human body. The radioactive drugs can be used in the diagnosis and, for the therapy of diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals emit radiation themselves, which is different from contrast media which alter or absorb external electromagnetism or ultrasound. Radio pharmacology is the branch of pharmacology that specializes in these agents.

Radiopharmaceuticals can be divided into four categories: 

• Radiopharmaceutical preparation
• Radionuclide generator
• Radiopharmaceutical precursor
• Kit for radiopharmaceutical preparation