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Call for papers - Long-acting formulations

Guest Editors

Muhammad Tahir Haseeb, MPhil, PhD, University of Sargodha, Pakistan
Bhupendra Gopalbhai Prajapati, PhD, Ganpat University, India

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 30 July 2025


BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology is calling for submissions to our Collection on Long-acting formulations. Long-acting formulations enable slow drug release, enhancing therapy safety and effectiveness by considering drug properties, delivery formulations, and therapeutic targets. These formulations, characterized by sustained release mechanisms, promise prolonged effects and better patient adherence. The Collection welcomes submissions on formulation design, material science, pharmacokinetics, and clinical outcomes, with key themes including innovative strategies, mechanistic insights, therapeutic applications, patient adherence, safety considerations, and clinical translation.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Muhammad Tahir Haseeb, MPhil, PhD, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad Tahir Haseeb earned his MPhil and PhD in Pharmaceutics from the University of Sargodha, Pakistan through Higher Education Commission of Pakistan scholarships. He also availed International Research Support Initiative Program to visit Korea University, South Korea as a visiting PhD scholar. Dr Haseeb's research area encompasses the formulation design of polysaccharides-based stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems, hydrogels, controlled release formulations development, polymeric and metallic nanoparticles for biomedical applications, cross-linking of polysaccharides, and toxicity evaluation of novel biomaterials. His contributions in these fields are evidenced by over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 4 book chapters.

Bhupendra Gopalbhai Prajapati, PhD, Ganpat University, India

Dr Bhupendra G. Prajapati is a distinguished professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics at Shree S.K. Patel College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ganpat University, India. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Thailand. With over 23 years of academic and industrial experience, he has made substantial contributions to pharmaceutical education and research. Dr Prajapati earned his PhD from Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University and holds both MPharm and BPharm degrees from M.S. University of Baroda. His research interests focus on lipid-based drug delivery and nanotechnology formulations, with over 200 publications to his name. Dr Prajapati has received numerous accolades, including the All India Council for Technical Education's (AICTE) Career Award for Young Teacher and Ganpat University’s President Award for Staff Excellence in Research. He has received two patents, with several more under review, and has edited 15 books for international publishers. A fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Dr Prajapati actively engages in professional organizations and has delivered over 50 expert talks globally. He currently guides several PhD and PG research scholars, continuing to advance the field of nanoparticulate drug delivery.

About the Collection

BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology is calling for submissions to our Collection on Long-acting formulations.

Long-acting drug delivery formulations are pharmaceutical innovations, enabling slow drug release after a single dose over the course of days or even up to years. These innovations make therapy safer and more effective by considering the active pharmaceutical ingredients and specific delivery formulations, the physico-chemical characteristics and activity of drugs within the patient body, and therapeutic targets including those hard-to-reach parts such as the joints and the back of the eye. These formulations, characterized by sustained, extended, or controlled release mechanisms, promise prolonged therapeutic effects while enhancing patient adherence. 

The Collection aims to explore the intricate dynamics between formulation design, material science advancements, pharmacokinetic considerations, and clinical outcomes. We welcome contributions that foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and offer insights into the multifaceted landscape of long-acting formulations. Key themes of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Innovative formulation strategies: exploration of novel approaches in formulating long-acting drug delivery systems, encompassing nano/micro formulations, polymer matrices, lipid-based carriers, and other systems introduced by innovative technologies
  • Mechanistic insights: investigation into the underlying mechanisms governing sustained drug release, elucidating factors such as diffusion kinetics, degradation pathways, and biocompatibility profiles
  • Therapeutic applications: evaluation of long-acting formulations across diverse therapeutic areas, ranging from chronic diseases to infectious conditions, and their impact on treatment outcomes and patient quality of life
  • Optimizing patient adherence: examination of how extended-release formulations contribute to improved patient adherence through simplified dosing regimens, reduced pill burden, and enhanced convenience
  • Safety and toxicological considerations: assessment of the safety profile and potential toxicological implications associated with long-acting formulations, addressing concerns such as dose dumping, accumulation, and local tissue reactions
  • Translation to clinical practice: case studies and clinical trials showcasing the translation of long-acting formulations from bench to bedside, highlighting efficacy, tolerability, and real-world applicability


Image credit: © AnuchaCheechang / Getty Images / iStock

  1. Ocular drug delivery is challenging due to the eye’s unique anatomy and physiology, which limit drug absorption and distribution. Traditional methods like eye drops have poor bioavailability and often require ...

    Authors: Susanta Paul, Subhabrota Majumdar, Mainak Chakraborty, Swarupananda Mukherjee, Nilanjan Sarkar, Bhupendra Prajapati, Nemat Ali, Abdullah F. AlAsmari and Shamama Nishat
    Citation: BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025 26:102
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Azithromycin (ATM) has limitations, such as poor oral bioavailability and gastrointestinal (GI) side effects that restrict its widespread application.

    Authors: Jitu Halder, Shuvam Mishra, Ivy Saha, Ajit Mishra, Ritu Mahanty, Vineet Kumar Rai, Deepak Pradhan, Rakesh Kumar Sahoo, Salim Manoharadas, Muralidhar Tata, Biswakanth Kar, Goutam Ghosh and Goutam Rath
    Citation: BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025 26:93
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Long-acting formulations" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.