Lipid-based cochleates: a promising formulation platform for oral and parenteral delivery of therapeutic agents.

Cochleates are lipid-based supramolecular assemblies that display great potential as delivery systems for systemic delivery of drugs, including peptides, proteins, vaccines, oligonucleotides, and genes. This is mainly attributed to their high stability and biocompatibility and their ability to deliver both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. Cochleates have a unique multilayered spiral structure, which is composed of a negatively charged phospholipid and a divalent cation, and can encapsulate diverse drug molecules of various shapes and sizes while minimizing toxicity associated with polymeric materials present in micro- and nanoparticle systems. This review describes current technological advances in the preparation methods, physicochemical characterization, and potential applications of cochleates as a drug delivery system for systemic delivery of various types of therapeutic agents.