Targeted Hepatic Delivery of Bioactive Molecules via Nanovesicles: Recent Developments and Emerging Directions

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Liver diseases pose a significant global health challenge with limited treatment options and high toxicity.
• Current therapies for liver conditions often result in systemic side effects.
• Nanovesicle-based systems offer a promising avenue for targeted drug and gene delivery to improve therapeutic precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare the potential of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and liposomes for drug and gene delivery in treating liver diseases.
• To evaluate the strengths and limitations of these three nanovesicle platforms in preclinical and clinical research.
• To identify key areas for future development to enhance clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across electronic databases for studies on LNPs, EVs, and liposomes in hepatic drug or gene delivery.
• Included studies focused on preclinical and clinical research.
• Analyzed data included vesicle characteristics, targeting efficiency, payload capacity, therapeutic results, and limitations.

Main Results:

• Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) exhibit high nucleic acid delivery efficiency and are progressing towards clinical application.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer good biocompatibility and natural targeting to liver cells but face production and standardization hurdles.
• Liposomes are versatile carriers but can be limited by rapid clearance from circulation.

Conclusions:

• Lipid nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, and liposomes are potent nanovesicle platforms for advancing targeted therapies in liver disease.
• Optimizing nanovesicle stability, manufacturing scalability, and cell-specific targeting is crucial for successful clinical translation.
• These nanocarriers hold significant potential to improve outcomes for patients with various liver conditions.