Research progress and future trends in advanced biomaterials for the treatment of liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a hallmark pathological feature of chronic liver diseases and poses a major threat to the health of millions of people worldwide. Without timely diagnosis and effective intervention, liver fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The limited availability of donor organs for orthotopic liver transplantation has driven the continuous search for alternative therapeutic strategies. However, conventional approaches, including pharmacotherapy, RNA-based therapies, and cell therapy, are often limited by insufficient therapeutic efficacy, poor targeting, and significant adverse effects, underscoring the urgent need for more effective treatment strategies. In recent years, biomaterials have emerged as promising platforms for liver fibrosis therapy owing to their excellent biocompatibility and tunable physicochemical properties. This review summarizes the recent advances in biomaterial-based therapeutic strategies for liver fibrosis, with a particular focus on nanomaterials, hydrogels, and microsphere-based delivery systems. The advantages and limitations of these biomaterial platforms are systematically discussed. Furthermore, we highlight the dual role of biomaterials not only as delivery vehicles for antifibrotic drugs, nucleic acids, and therapeutic cells but also as active platforms that modulate the fibrotic microenvironment and promote liver regeneration. Finally, the current status and future perspectives of biomaterial-based approaches in liver tissue engineering are discussed.