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Models and Methods to Evaluate Transport of Drug Delivery Systems Across Cellular Barriers
Published on: October 17, 2013
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Evolution of macromolecular complexity in drug delivery systems
Ashok Kakkar1,2, Giovanni Traverso1,3, Omid C Farokhzad4
1Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.
Nature Reviews. Chemistry
|July 10, 2019
Summary
Developing targeted therapeutics faces delivery challenges. Macromolecules offer improved drug delivery, overcoming barriers to enhance therapeutic outcomes and fulfill unmet needs in nanomedicine.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Drug design faces significant challenges, particularly in achieving selective in vivo delivery to biological targets.
- Lack of targeted delivery often necessitates higher drug doses, leading to adverse side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of drug delivery strategies.
- To examine the role of complex macromolecular architectures in overcoming drug delivery barriers.
- To discuss the potential of advanced drug delivery in nanomedicine.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of drug delivery approaches.
- Analysis of macromolecular architectures for drug encapsulation and conjugation.
- Discussion of nanomedicine applications.
Main Results:
- Macromolecular encapsulation and conjugation have emerged as key strategies for improved drug delivery.
- Increasing complexity in macromolecular design enhances delivery efficiency and target selectivity.
- Advanced drug delivery systems show promise for addressing unmet medical needs.
Conclusions:
- The evolution of macromolecular architectures has significantly advanced drug delivery capabilities.
- Targeted drug delivery using complex macromolecules is crucial for minimizing side effects and improving therapeutic efficacy.
- Nanomedicine holds substantial potential for future therapeutic innovations through sophisticated drug delivery systems.
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