Advances in Microfluidics for Controlled Pharmaceutical Formulation and Drug Screening

Microfluidic technologies have emerged as powerful tools in pharmaceutical sciences, offering precise control over fluid handling, mixing, and mass transfer at the microscale. These unique characteristics have enabled significant advances in controlled pharmaceutical formulation and drug screening, addressing key limitations of conventional bulk-scale methods, such as poor reproducibility, high material consumption, and limited physiological relevance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in microfluidics for pharmaceutical applications, with a focus on formulation control, nanocarrier and advanced drug delivery system fabrication, controlled release, and stability enhancement. The role of microfluidic platforms in high-throughput and physiologically relevant drug screening, including cell-based and organon-chip models, is critically discussed. Furthermore, the integration of microfluidics with emerging technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, digital microfluidics, and advanced analytical tools is highlighted as a driver of datadriven and continuous pharmaceutical development. Key challenges related to scalability, standardization, regulatory acceptance, and ethical considerations are also examined. Finally, future perspectives emphasize the growing translational potential of microfluidics in continuous manufacturing, personalized medicine, and precision therapeutics. Overall, this review underscores the transformative impact of microfluidic technologies on modern pharmaceutical formulation and drug screening, positioning them as integral components of next-generation drug development pipelines.