Targeted Liposomal Drug Delivery: Overview of the Current Applications and Challenges

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Active substances often show in vitro efficacy but fail in vivo due to poor targeting.
• Targeted drug delivery is a key focus in pharmaceutical research.
• Liposomes, since Doxil's approval, are leading nanoparticles for targeted delivery due to their favorable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current strategies for targeted liposomes in disease treatment.
• To highlight the importance of tailored liposomal formulation for specific physiological conditions.
• To discuss passive and active targeting techniques for liposomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on liposomal drug delivery.
• Analysis of passive targeting strategies like PEGylation and the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect.
• Examination of active targeting strategies involving surface conjugation of molecules.

Main Results:

• Liposomes offer low immunogenicity, high versatility, and proven efficacy for various diseases.
• Passive targeting improves general pharmacokinetics.
• Active targeting enhances specificity by conjugating targeting molecules.

Conclusions:

• Liposomal formulations must be customized for the unique conditions of each disease.
• Both passive and active targeting techniques are vital for effective liposomal drug delivery.
• Targeted liposomes represent a significant advancement in treating diverse diseases.