• 1.1 General Formatting
• 1.2 Language
• 1.3 Units and Nomenclature
• 2.1 Citation Style
• 2.2 Reference Examples
• 2.3 Reference Accuracy
• 3.1 Figures
• 3.2 Figure Legends
• 3.3 Tables
• 4 Graphical Abstract
• 5 Cover Letter
• 6 Data Availability
• 7 Submission Checklist

• Use the official ADS manuscript template
• Font: Times New Roman, 11 pt
• Line spacing: 1.15
• Continuous line numbering recommended
• Page numbers must be included

Important:
Download the official template here: ADS Manuscript Template

• Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English
• Authors may use either American or British English; however, consistency must be maintained throughout the manuscript.

Authors are responsible for language accuracy. Manuscripts with poor language quality may be returned prior to review.

• Use SI units throughout
• Chemical nomenclature must follow IUPAC standards
• Gene and protein names must follow accepted conventions

Vancouver Referencing Style (Non-superscripted Number Format)

Advanced Drug Sciences adopts the Vancouver (numbered) referencing system using non-superscripted citation numbers in square brackets. This format must be applied consistently throughout the manuscript.

In-text citation

• References must be cited in consecutive numerical order according to their first appearance in the text.
• Citations must appear in square brackets (not superscript), for example: [1], [2], [3–5].
• Multiple citations should be separated by commas, and ranges indicated using an en dash.
• Each reference number should be assigned once and reused consistently throughout the manuscript.

When referring to authors within the narrative text:

• Single author: Author A [1]
• Two authors: Author A and Author B [2]
• More than two authors: Author A et al. [3]

Reference list

• The reference list must be arranged in the same numerical order as citations appear in the text.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of all bibliographic information.
• List up to six authors; if more than six, include the first six followed by et al.
• Journal titles must be abbreviated in accordance with the conventions of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), as recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Authors should use the official journal title abbreviations listed in the NLM Catalog (as used in MEDLINE/PubMed). These abbreviations follow the ISO 4 standard for serial title abbreviations. If a journal is not indexed in MEDLINE, authors should verify or construct the abbreviation using ISO 4 conventions, with reference to authoritative sources such as the ISSN Portal or the CAS Source Index (CASSI). Consistency with NLM abbreviations is required throughout the reference list.
• Follow the exact order: Author(s). Title. Source. Year; Volume(Issue):Pages, and DOI (where available).

Reference management tools

The journal uses an EndNote-based workflow for reference standardization. Authors may use any reference management software; however, all submitted manuscripts must strictly conform to the journal’s prescribed reference style. Submissions containing incorrectly formatted references may be returned to authors for revision prior to peer review.

Official and compatible Vancouver style files are available from the following sources:

• EndNote (Vancouver Style):
  https://endnote.com/style_download/vancouver/
• Zotero (Vancouver Style CSL):
  https://www.zotero.org/styles/vancouver
• Mendeley CSL Repository (Vancouver Style):
  https://csl.mendeley.com/styles/229690531/vancouver

Authors must verify that the selected output style generates non-superscripted numbered citations in square brackets and fully complies with ADS formatting requirements prior to submission.

The following examples illustrate the Vancouver (numbered, non-superscripted) referencing style as generated by standard EndNote output and aligned with NLM/ICMJE recommendations.

Journal Articles

Standard Journal Article
Smith J, Lee K. Advanced drug delivery systems. J Pharm Sci. 2020;109(2):123–130.

Journal Article (More than 6 authors)
Wang Y, Chen X, Li Q, Zhang H, Liu Z, Kumar S, et al. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery for cancer therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2021;178:113980.

Journal Article with DOI
Brown T. Nanomedicine advances. Nano Today. 2021;36:101234. doi:10.1016/j.nantod.2021.101234.

Online Article (Epub ahead of print)
Garcia M, Patel R. Lipid nanoparticles in mRNA delivery. Mol Ther. 2023. Epub 2023 Jan 15. doi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.01.005.

Books

Book
Rang HP, Dale MM. Pharmacology. 7th ed. London: Elsevier; 2012.

Electronic Book
Brunton LL, Hilal-Dandan R, Knollmann BC. Goodman & Gilman's the pharmacological basis of therapeutics. 13th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2018. Available from: https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com

Chapter in Book

Brown T. Nanomedicine applications. In: Green R, editor. Drug Delivery Systems. New York: Springer; 2018. p. 45–60.

Conference Paper

Singh A, Verma P. Advances in nanoparticle drug delivery. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Drug Delivery Systems; 2022 Jun 10–12; Singapore. Singapore: Elsevier; 2022. p. 120–125.

Website

World Health Organization. Global health estimates 2023 [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [cited 2024 Jan 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho

Dataset

Zhang L. Dataset on nanoparticle drug delivery efficiency [dataset]. Zenodo; 2022. doi:10.5281/zenodo.1234567.

Thesis / Dissertation

Kumar R. Development of targeted drug delivery systems [dissertation]. Delhi: University of Delhi; 2021.

• Formats: TIFF, JPEG, PNG
• Minimum resolution: 300 dpi
• Clear labeling and legible text
• Consistent font style and size
• Submit as separate files
• Number consecutively

Figures and tables must represent original data. The use of AI tools to generate or modify visual materials is not permitted. Please refer to the AI Use Policy for details.

• Must be concise and descriptive
• Label as Fig. figure number. (For example, Fig. 1., Fig. 2., Fig. 3., .......)
• Place each figure caption below its corresponding figure (e.g., image, illustration, or graph).
• Should allow independent interpretation
• Define symbols, abbreviations, and conditions

• Must be editable (not images)
• Numbered consecutively
• Label as Table Number. (For example, Table 1., Table 2., Table 3., .......)
• Place each table caption above its corresponding table. Tables should be self-explanatory and clearly labeled.
• Provide footnotes where necessary

A graphical abstract is highly recommended for Research Articles and all types of Reviews.

• Single high-quality image
• Minimum resolution: 300 dpi
• Recommended size: 1200 × 600 px
• Minimal text
• Must not duplicate manuscript figures

The graphical abstract should enhance understanding and not duplicate figures in the manuscript.

• Manuscript title
• Study significance
• Novelty statement
• Originality confirmation
• Conflict disclosure
• Optional reviewer suggestions

Example structure:

Dear Editor,

We are pleased to submit our manuscript entitled “[Title]” for consideration in Advanced Drug Sciences.

This study investigates… [brief summary]. The findings provide… [novel contribution].

We confirm that this work is original and not under consideration elsewhere. All authors have approved the manuscript.

We declare [conflict/no conflict].

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Corresponding Author Name, affiliation, email, contact number]

Authors must include a Data Availability Statement describing:

• Specify where data can be accessed
• Include repository name and DOI
• Provide justification if data cannot be shared

If data cannot be shared, authors must provide a justified explanation.

Authors must ensure the following prior to submission:

• ✔ Manuscript prepared using ADS template
• ✔ Blinded manuscript file
• ✔ Title page provided
• ✔ Figures meet resolution requirements
• ✔ References formatted correctly
• ✔ Ethical statements included
• ✔ Conflict of interest disclosed
• ✔ Cover letter submitted

Failure to comply may result in administrative return.