Transdermal Therapeutic System

Transdermal patches or transdermal therapeutic systems (TTS) are drug delivery systems that are applied directly to the skin. The active substance is absorbed by the skin and distributed through the body via the bloodstream. This innovative mode of administration has improved the simplicity of treatment for patients for almost 30 years.

Transdermal therapeutic systems are patches that can be applied to the suitable part of the body effectively and discreetly. The active substance enters the bloodstream transdermally, i.e. through the skin.

Diverse technologies for wide-ranging applications

A wide range of TTS technologies from LTS make it easy to ensure the ideal dose for any active substance. The drug molecule should not exceed a certain size (approx. 500 g/mol) so that it can penetrate the skin effectively. To date, there are 20 active substances known to fulfil this requirement. LTS processes twelve of these for its various partners in the pharmaceuticals industry. Experts have predicted that there are at least 30 other active substances that could be suited to transdermal delivery.

The advantages of LTS patches

For patients:

safe, reliable, precise and pain-free application
easier to treat children, as well as older patients and patients requiring complex care
ideal for patients who have difficulty swallowing
longer intervals between doses, particularly with multi-day patches

For pharmaceutical companies:

efficacy of active substances with low oral bioavailability
controlled, even application – no peak concentrations
easy to manage dosage by varying the area of the patch
no loss of active substance due to avoidance of first-pass metabolism by the liver
potentially requires significantly lower amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients (active substances) than for tablets or solutions
no breakdown of the active substance in the gastrointestinal tract
improved compliance on the part of patients
additional options for differentiating a product range