Nanotechnology is the science which deals with the processes that occur at molecular level and of nanolength scale size. The major studies in the nanotechnology include nanosized particles, their function and behaviour with respect to other systems. The tremendous capabilities of nanoparticles have changed the perspective and scope of nanotechnology towards development into an adjuvant field for the remaining fields of life sciences. Nanotechnology is the ability to understand and control materials at the very smallest scales, from around 100 nm to the dimensions of single atoms; At this Nano scale the properties of these nanosized particles are vary from the conventional medicines.

Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology deals with emerging new technologies for developing customized solutions for drug delivery systems. The drug delivery system positively impacts the pharmacokinetics of the drug or other related chemical entities in the body. In addition to this the drug delivery system also allows the drug to bind to its target receptor and influence that receptor signaling and activity. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology is helpful in the field of pharmacy as nanomaterials, and as devices like drug delivery, diagnostic, imaging and biosensor.

Nanopharmaceuticals represent an emerging field where the sizes of the drug particle or a therapeutic delivery system work at the nanoscale. Nanopharmaceuticals offer the ability to detect diseases at much earlier stages and the diagnostic applications could build upon conventional procedures using nanoparticles. Nanopharmaceuticals represent an emerging field where the sizes of the drug particle or a therapeutic delivery system work at the nanoscale. In the pharmaceutical industry, a long standing issue is the difficulty of delivering the appropriate dose of a particular active agent to specific disease site. Nanopharmaceuticals have enormous potential in addressing this failure of traditional therapeutics which offers site-specific targeting of active agents. Such precision targeting via nanopharmaceuticals reduces toxic systemic side effects, resulting in better patient compliance.

Novel approaches of drug delivery systems helps to enhance the availability of the drug, safety, efficacy and patient compliance. These Novel systems enable the administration of drugs in various routes and help in improving bioavailability of the drug either by changing its course of action, pharmacokinetic parameters or by the releasing patterns at the site of action. Drug delivery has now become a versatile scientific field by involving the studies of both biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics. These novel systems are to provide novel strategies for the delivery of biologically active drug molecules to the targeted sites at the right dose and at the right time.

Nano drug delivery systems can be used to tune and regulate release pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, solubility, immunocompatibility, cellular uptake, biodistribution and by reducing toxicity these will enhances therapeutic index of traditional pharmaceuticals. They can be used to deliver both small-molecular and macromolecular drugs. These nanoparticles mediated sustained release of drugs offer an advantage that the targeted delivery of drugs in the body is required to prevent the release of therapeutics at non-specific sites and unwanted side-effects. The conjugation of targeting moieties with drug-loaded nanoparticles can be used for receptor-mediated and targeted delivery. Such targeted nanoparticles have the characteristics of a perfect drug delivery system that tends to improve the therapeutic activity while reducing the toxic side effects of drugs.

Nanotechnology is widely used for development of paediatric medicine based on its variable characteristics. The large surface to volume ratio characteristic of nanomaterials is helpful to inhibit bacteria attachment to the organs and promote nonbacterial cell adhesion. The unique surface energetics of nanomaterials because of their significantly greater surface area compared with micron-sized materials. Because of the tissue growing properties of nanomaterials and antimicrobial properties of both nanoparticles and Nano modified surfaces have a number of applications within paediatric medicine. Some of these applications include anti-infection, tissue regeneration, drug delivery and bio-sensing.

Nanotechnology is generating a major influence on preclinical and clinical drug development. Novel combination of existing clinical treatments can instantaneously detect and kill only cancer cells without harming surrounding organs. Advancements in nanobiotechnology have led to the design of nanoparticle based new drug candidates that present a novel approach to medical diagnostics and therapeutics. The biocompatible designing of Nano devices used for drug delivery has increased the solubility and effectiveness of classical drugs, and has provided the technology required for the targeted delivery of encapsulated tissue-organ specific therapeutics.

Nanotechnology represents a platform for developing revolutionary changes and improvements to many different aspects of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Also, the rate of nanotechnology discovery is proceeding more rapidly than practical applications can be found. Nanotechnology offers potential in pharmaceuticals for improving drug delivery systems, medical imaging, diagnosis, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. Although there is no international regulation or legislation specifically for nanomedicine, it is agreed worldwide that considerably more attention should be paid to the quality, safety, and efficacy of nanotechnology-based drugs. The US FDA and the European Medicines Agency have provided several regulatory guidelines for the development of nanomedicines.

Nanotechnology helps us economically to build a wide range of complex molecular devices by manipulating the structures on an atomic and molecular scale. Nanotechnology may be able to synthesize many new materials and devices with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nm with a wide range of applications in pharmaceuticals. Future aspects of Nanotechnology in pharmaceuticals involve applications of nanoparticles, development of nano-robots for cellular level repairing and also to develop Nano generators and Nano pore sequencing.

Nano materials and devices play a major role in the field of pharmaceutical nanotechnology.  Nanomaterials  exhibit  properties  remarkably  different  from the  properties  of  the  bulk  material due to the large surface area to volume ratio that increases the solubility and rate of absorption. Novel nanostructures will helpful for use as artificial tissue engineering and also help to integrate nanodevices with the nervous system that will restore vision and hearing, and build artificial limbs through the implant of new tissue. Nanotechnology is applied in the pharmaceutical industry in such areas as nanomedicine, tissue engineering, nanorobots, biosensors, biomarkers, image enhancement devices and implant technology. Investigations are currently being carried out on, among others, liposomes, dendrimers, metallic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, CNTs, quantum dots and nanofibres.

At present, nanotechnology has been widely applied to the area of drug development. Nanoparticle-based therapeutics has the ability to overcome biological barriers and to deliver hydrophobic drugs and biologics effectively to the target sites of disease. The complexity of nanoparticles as multi-component 3D structures require careful design and engineering and reproducible scale-up and manufacturing process to achieve a consistent product. The safety and efficacy of nanoparticle-based medicines can be influenced by minor variations in multiple parameters and need to be carefully examined in preclinical and clinical examinations. Finally, nanoparticle-based medicines may have to represent additional development challenges and regulatory considerations compared with conventional medicines. Efforts are being made to produce unique category of therapeutic agents while there is generally a lack of regulatory standards in the examination of nanoparticle-based medicines.

Nano-enabled medical products have made their impact on the following areas such as cancer, CNS diseases, cardiovascular disease, and infection control. Among these cancer is one of the largest therapeutic area in which nano-enabled products have made their major contributions. Cancer is a prime focus for nano pharmaceutical R&D, and companies with clinical-stage developments. The nanomedicine market is in early growth. While nano-enhanced drug delivery products are already a commercial reality, more advanced nanotech-based medical devices are still in development, although some are at the clinical testing stage. Most of the money being spent on the wider field of nanotechnology R&D comes from government and established corporations. In the nanomedicine field, pharmaceutical and specialist companies are at the forefront of research into the medical applications of nanotechnology.

In 2008 more than $18 billion was invested in nanotechnology R&D by private and public sector companies worldwide with substantial portions in the areas of health and medicine. Upon ageing of population and increasing costs of healthcare, the focus is shifting from managing health to preventative measures. Hence better diagnostic Nano devices and targeted therapeutics with smart drug delivery devices will be in higher demand. Advancements in Nanotechnology will not only improve efficacy and reduce side effects of existing drugs but also will enable a faster discovery process to eliminate non-efficacious drugs with less investment and in a little time. Similarly, these advancements in nanotechnologies will shorten the drug development process and get more drugs to market quicker.