From Conventional to Novel Drug Delivery Systems for Meloxicam: A Systematic Review

Meloxicam, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in managing inflammation and acute pain. Although available in oral formulations such as capsules, tablets, and suspension, frequent administration is necessary to maintain therapeutic efficacy, which can increase adverse effects and patient non-compliance. To address these issues, several sustained drug delivery strategies such as oral, transdermal, transmucosal, injectable, implantable drug delivery systems have been developed for meloxicam. These sustained drug delivery strategies have the potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety profile of meloxicam by reducing the frequency of dosing and associated gastrointestinal side effects. The choice of drug delivery system will depend on the desired release profile, the target site of inflammation, and the mode of administration. Overall, meloxicam sustained delivery systems offer better patient compliance, and reduce side effects, thereby improving the clinical applications of this drug. Herein, we discuss in detail the different strategies for the sustained delivery of meloxicam.