Reports on chemical immobilization of proteins and enzymes first appeared
in the 1960s. Since then, immobilized proteins and enzymes have been widely used in
the processing of variety of products and increasingly used in the field of medicine.
Here, we present a review of recent developments in immobilized enzyme use in medi-
cine. Generally speaking, the use of immobilized enzyme in medicine can be divided into
two major categories: biosensors and bioreactors. A brief overview of the evolution of the
biosensor and bioreactor technology, of currently existing applications of immobilized
enzymes, of problems that researchers encountered, and of possible future develop-
ments will be presented. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association
J Pharm Sci 89: 979–990, 2000