Application of Microfluidics in Drug Development

Microfluidics has become a transformative technology in drug development by offering new solutions that can potentially address some of the challenges in this field. Due to their capability to process small volumes of samples in a short time and improved process control properties, microfluidic platforms are advancing the drug development process and increasing the probability of new drug candidates’ clinical success. Microfluidic platforms enable precise control over small fluid volumes, facilitating high-throughput screening of drug candidates. The technology has proven instrumental in the creation of microenvironments that mimic physiological conditions, enhancing the relevance of cell-based assays and contributing to a more accurate prediction of in vivo drug behaviour. Additionally, microfluidics enables the integration of multiple functions on a single platform, allowing for streamlined and automated workflows. In this chapter, we highlight the versatility of microfluidic platforms in accelerating drug development and explore the application of microfluidics in three key stages of drug development process: drug synthesis, drug screening, and drug evaluation.