Guest editor Journal of Controlled Release, volume 64, nos 1-3

The Fifth European Symposium on Controlled Drug Delivery was held in Noordwijk aan Zee, The Netherlands, from April 1–3, 1998. With the active participation of our Scientific Advisory Board we were able to prepare a programme where leading scientists from European and non-European countries presented their latest results on drug delivery systems. Furthermore, a poster session was organised to allow researchers to present and discuss their results in this rapidly developing and exciting area. Speakers at the symposium included pharmaceutical scientists, polymer scientists, bioengineers, biochemists and pharmacologists. The topics of the symposium were selected to provide a high level multidisciplinary programme, where participants with different backgrounds had an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in the drug delivery area. These topics were: novel macromolecular and supra-molecular materials for drug delivery; novel drug delivery systems; pharmaco-economics of therapies involving controlled release dosage forms; new therapeutic approaches based on controlled drug delivery. The proceedings of the Fifth European Symposium on Controlled Drug Delivery contains 22 papers, which were generated from the presentation at the symposium and extended abstracts of posters, which were presented. The editors extend their appreciation to the sponsors of the programme: Alza Corp. U.S.A, 3M Medica GmbH, Germany, N.V. Organon/Akzo Nobel The Netherlands, Cordis Corp. U.S.A., Depotech Corp. U.S.A., DSM Fine Chemicals The Netherlands, Emisphere Technologies Inc. U.S.A., Janssen Pharmaceutica Belgium, Merck KgaA Germany, Novartis Pharma AG Switzerland, Pharmacia and Upjohn AB Sweden, Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier France, TheraTech, U.S.A. Symposium contributors included: Astra Arcus AB Sweden, Bayer AG Germany, Hoechst Marion Roussel AG Germany, Macromed Inc. U.S.A., OctoPlus The Netherlands, Pfizer Ltd. England, Rhône-Poulenc Rorer France, Sam Yang Co. Korea, Schering AG Germany, the EU Training and Mobility of Researchers Programme and the Anselmus Foundation. The generous contribution of these sponsors and contributors made this symposium possible. The editors acknowledge and extend their appreciation to their colleagues of the organising committee, including Drs Iddo Bante. Together we succeeded in making the Fifth Symposium in a series of forthcoming symposia a success