Self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) allow for new formulations of lipophilic drugs with improved bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles without compromising efficacy.

SMEDDS technology differs from other emulsions mainly in thermodynamic stability, size, and surfactant/lipid composition.

SMEDDS drug formulations are increasingly used in the clinic, including the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved celecoxib oral solution for the acute treatment of migraine.

Celecoxib oral solution is a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor designed as an acute, low-dose, oral-solution SMEDDS formulation of celecoxib indicated for and recently recommended by the American Headache Society to treat migraine attacks acutely.

Celecoxib oral solution has an advantageous pharmacokinetic profile, allowing for a lower cumulative dose and a potentially lower risk of adverse events than with non-SMEDDS celecoxib formulations, thereby demonstrating the clinical utility of a SMEDDS formulation in the acute treatment of migraine.