Marlene Bourne of Bourne Research put the controlled release nanotechnology market into perspective for the assembled audience, saying that although nanotechnology is often defined as matter with dimensions of 1-100 nanometers and the manipulation or control of atoms and molecules, many materials claiming to be on the nano-scale (particularly in controlled release) actually fall outside this scope.
"Looking at the marketplace…'nanotechnology' as definition currently encompasses anything from atoms and ions, to sub-micron particles and larger micron-sized particles," said Bourne.
"So what we really have here is a definitional war between nano-scale, which is really a form of measurement, and nanotechnology."
Despite the uncertainty about what technically qualifies as nanotechnology, Bourne notes that this hasn't hampered products coming onto the market at all. Commercialisation is well underway, driven largely by the cosmetics industry, with nano-scale liposomes, nano-dispersions, nano-emulsions, nano-encapsulations and nanoparticles all increasingly common.
The down-sizing to the nano-scale has been driven by the unique properties that materials exhibit at this size, allowing manipulation and use of compounds in a way that simply wouldn't have been possible a decade or two ago.
The pharmaceutical industry has tapped the nano treasure chest as a way of developing new and more effective means of drug delivery, with carbon nanotubes, buckyballs and lipid nano-scale materials being exploited to get the most out of available materials.
"It's very exciting in terms of ingenuity, of products coming out on the market, and how the technology is being used and applied in new products," said Bourne.
The cosmetics industry is currently streaking ahead in nanotechnology-based products, but according to Bourne it's also the area where use of the technology causes the greatest concern due the increasingly fine line between what is considered a cosmetic and what is considered a drug.
Nano-encapsulation is also playing a growing role in the nutrition industry, in terms of adding nutritional value to food without affecting taste (for example omega 3 enriched bread with no fishy taste), and the emerging cosmeceutical / nutraceutical industries.
The challenges the growing nanotechnology revolution presents include establishing effective quality control measures in the manufacturing process, according to Bourne, as well as addressing key concerns regarding environmental impact and perceived health concerns.
However, some of these concerns are somewhat inevitable as a new technology becomes more prominent and consumers and patients learn to become familiar with previously alien materials or concepts.
Bourne is reassuring though, reminding her audience that people tend to have a short memory - it wasn't so long ago that there was an outcry over the concept of radio frequency identification (RFID) or the irradiation of food, and yet now these concerns are all but forgotten.
Despite these potential obstacles, nanotechnology-based products look set to become increasingly common, with the technology opening up new possibilities across a range of industries.
"The bottom line is that nanotechnology for controlled release is indeed real; and is far more ubiquitous than many realise," said Bourne.
"Despite its emerging nature, the impact of nanotechnology is already significant, and will become even more so over the next several years."
