Liposomal drug delivery: a versatile platform for challenging clinical applications

Liposomes are lipid based vesicular systems that offer novel platform for versatile drug delivery to target cell. Liposomes were first reported by Bangham and his co-workers in 1964 (1). Since then, liposomes have undergone extensive research with the prime aim to optimize encapsulation, stability, circulation time and target specific drug delivery. Manipulation of a liposome's lipid bilayer and surface decoration with selective ligands has transformed conventional liposomes into adaptable and multifunctional liposomes. Development of liposomes with target specificity provide the prospect of safe and effective therapy for challenging clinical applications. Bioresponsive liposomes offer the opportunity to release payload in response to tissue specific microenvironment. Incorporation of novel natural and synthetic materials has extended their application from stable formulations to controlled release targeted drug delivery systems. Integration and optimization of multiple features into one system revolutionized research in the field of cancer, gene therapy, immunotherapy and infectious diseases. After 50 years since the first publication, this review is aimed to highlight next generation of liposomes, their preparation methods and progress in clinical applications.