4 Drug Delivery Trends Defining 2026—And Why Your CDMO Partner Matters

The global pharmaceutical drug delivery market is on track to exceed $2.2 trillion by 2026, fueled by massive investment in biologics, injectables, and advanced controlled-release therapies. Despite this growth, many promising molecules still fail—not due to lack of efficacy, but because achieving reliable delivery remains the most difficult hurdle.

As performance expectations for drug delivery continue to rise, a clear divide is emerging between CDMOs offering commodity execution and those with the capacity to solve complex, program-specific challenges.

We spoke with Dr. Gamil Alhakimi, CEO and Co-Founder of GL CHEMTEC, to explore four critical trends reshaping drug delivery and why finding the right development partner matters more than ever.

Smart Hydrogels: Engineering Biological Response

The hydrogel-based drug delivery market is on track to reach $12.5 billion by 2030, driven largely by innovations in ocular applications and responsive delivery systems. Smart hydrogels respond to biological triggers—pH, temperature, and enzymes—enabling multi-payload delivery, extended therapeutic effect, and reduced dosing frequency. 

But designing these systems presents significant technical hurdles.

“Designing responsive hydrogels requires balancing trigger specificity, release kinetics, payload protection, mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and manufacturability,” Dr. Alhakimi said, explaining that achieving a tight biological trigger window without burst release or mechanical failure is challenging. “Payloads like proteins, nucleic acids, or hydrophobic drugs need protection from crosslinking and sterilization.”

The complexity doesn't end with formulation. Many promising hydrogel chemistries aren't sterilization-friendly, and robust analytics are essential to control residuals and degradation. This is where partnering with a CDMO that has integrated R&D-to-GMP capabilities becomes critical, especially for medical device applications requiring ISO 13485:2016 certification and specialized polymer synthesis expertise.

“Integrated R&D-to-GMP capabilities shorten timelines and raise success rates by enabling co-design of chemistry, formulation, and process,” Dr. Alhakimi explained. “Early consideration of scalable chemistries and validated analytics avoids late reformulation, allowing teams to run GMP-representative pilot batches and deliver a unified CMC story that reduces tech-transfer failures and regulatory questions.”

Nano-Delivery Systems Transform the 'Undruggable'

Nano-delivery systems are fundamentally changing what's possible in drug development, transforming poorly soluble and traditionally "undruggable" molecules into viable therapeutics. But solving these solubility challenges requires specialized expertise that goes beyond standard CDMO capabilities.

“When a company brings us a poorly soluble compound, we start with the target product profile, then rapidly characterize the molecule's key properties and process requirements,” Dr. Alhakimi explained. “We run high-throughput screens to identify the right platform—whether that's lipid nanoparticles, nano-emulsions, or solid dispersions—based on loading capacity, stability, and manufacturability.”

What separates CDMOs that can solve these difficult solubility challenges from those that can't? According to Dr. Alhakimi, it comes down to breadth of expertise and specialized infrastructure.

“Top CDMOs combine a broad formulation toolbox with senior cross-disciplinary scientists, comprehensive analytics, and scale-aware engineering,” Dr. Alhakimi said. “They also have specialized equipment like microfluidics, high-pressure homogenizers, and spray dryers, along with institutional knowledge that speeds convergence.”

GL CHEMTEC, for example, has developed unique approaches to delivering traditionally insoluble drugs using specialized films and emulsions, capabilities that address some of the pharmaceutical industry's most persistent formulation challenges.

Ocular Delivery: Navigating the Eye's Complex Barrier

The US ophthalmic drug delivery market is projected to reach $10.4 billion by 2030, driven by demand for long-acting alternatives to frequent intravitreal injections. Yet the eye presents formidable technical challenges.

“The eye’s anatomy and tiny dosing volumes limit drug residence and penetration,” Dr. Alhakimi explained. “Tear turnover, corneal barriers, and the blood-retinal barrier make both anterior and posterior delivery difficult. Toxicity concerns, optical clarity requirements, and oxygen permeability further constrain excipient and design choices.”

The biggest challenge is delivering drugs to the back of the eye without repeated injections. Combined with strict sterility requirements, this often means completely reformulating the drug, sometimes requiring new chemical forms or specialized devices.

GL CHEMTEC's capabilities address these barriers directly with custom contact lenses for front-of-eye delivery, advanced hydrogels for reaching the back of the eye, and film-based systems for better patient compliance.

The Case for Integrated Development

As drug delivery systems grow more sophisticated, the traditional approach of splitting API chemistry and delivery development across multiple vendors creates costly inefficiencies, including tech transfer failures, timeline delays, analytical inconsistencies, and regulatory complications.

Companies increasingly need partners who can integrate these capabilities under one roof.

“When investments cover API chemistry, polymer design, analytical development, and GMP suites, clients avoid tech-transfer surprises and gain faster analytical readiness,” Dr. Alhakimi explained. “On-site pilot and GMP runs de-risk scale-up, while single-vendor ownership speeds decision-making and root-cause troubleshooting.”

This integration translates directly into shorter development timelines, fewer bridging studies, and a higher probability of delivering clinic-ready candidates. It's why GL CHEMTEC has built a rare combination of API chemistry expertise and advanced polymer design, paired with seamless R&D-to-manufacturing capabilities.

GLC: Your Trusted Drug Delivery Partner

GL CHEMTEC provides:

• A unique combination of expertise in small molecules and polymers, tailored to the target
• Integrated solutions that accelerate early-stage API development and innovative drug delivery solutions, with seamless continuity from R&D to manufacturing
• Strong organic polymer expertise and advanced materials applied to medical devices, drug delivery, and ophthalmic applications
• Unmatched expertise in polymer design and development, including tailored polymers, hydrogels, films, and emulsions/nano-emulsions
• North American facilities, offering a reliable alternative to overseas supply chains and partners
• A highly customer-centric culture and a 23-year track record of success
• ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 13485:2016 certifications, and GMP compliant facility