Transporter And Cell Targeting
Several systems use molecular recognition to increase uptake at selected tissues or cells. Taurine-chitosan liposomes targeted the intestinal taurine transporter to improve oral doxorubicin absorption, while l-carnitine-modified pectin-chitosan nanoparticles showed greater internalization in HT-29 and MCF7 cells expressing the OCTN2 and ATB0,+ transporters (PMIDs 38286550, 38423444). AT11-functionalized liposomes targeted nucleolin-overexpressing head and neck cancer cells, and RGD-functionalized cannabidiol lipid nanoparticles were designed to use integrin ฮฑvฮฒ3-mediated transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier (PMIDs 39094208, 42424917).
๐ Carbohydrate polymers โ๐ International journal of biological macromolecules โ๐ Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces โ๐ Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie โ
Stimuli-Controlled Release
Delivery platforms were engineered to release drugs in response to acidic lysosomal environments, MMPs and ROS, near-infrared irradiation, ultrasound, or microbial enzymes. Acid-responsive polymer micelles released Alloc-doxorubicin and a ruthenium catalyst in acidic lysosomes, followed by glutathione-dependent prodrug activation; limited glutathione in normal cells prevented conversion to active doxorubicin and minimized toxicity (PMIDs 39191734, 39730048). A GelMA hydrogel used hypertrophic-scar MMPs and ROS for sustained 5-fluorouracil release with fluorescence imaging. Other studies used near-infrared irradiation to control dexamethasone release and enhance delivery across the round-window membrane, ultrasound to rupture vancomycin-loaded PLA pockets after a delay of up to 6 days, and microbial enzymes to trigger colonic release of 5-aminosalicylic acid (PMIDs 39573930, 41379814, 42707702).
๐ Biomacromolecules โ๐ International journal of biological macromolecules โ๐ Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) โ๐ PloS one โ๐ Theranostics โ
Local And Transdermal Delivery
Dissolving microneedle patches and hydrogels were investigated for drug delivery into or through skin. Dissolving microneedles delivered bictegravir or tenofovir alafenamide for systemic delivery as a potential HIV preexposure prophylaxis strategy, while lorazepam-loaded dissolving microneedles rapidly dissolved in porcine skin and released 3โ5% of the drug within 30 minutes and 79.3% cumulatively over 24 hours (PMIDs 38851410, 40132046). Combining fractional carbon-dioxide laser with topical bimatoprost produced superior outcomes to bimatoprost alone in a clinical trial for alopecia areata (PMID 38321929). An injectable aldehyde-modified hyaluronic-acid hydrogel provided tunable minoxidil release over six weeks in vitro and was also fabricated into a hydrogel-forming microneedle patch for controlled delivery into skin (PMID 40554369).
๐ International journal of pharmaceutics โ๐ Journal of drug targeting โ๐ Journal of cosmetic dermatology โ๐ ACS biomaterials science & engineering โ
Barrier Penetration And Retention
A recurring objective was to overcome anatomical clearance or permeability barriers at the eye, lung, nose, and brain. Phenylboronic-acid-functionalized micelles bound the mucin-rich corneal layer to improve loteprednol retention, while virus-mimicking bromhexine lipid particles traversed mucus in air-liquid-interface Calu-3 cultures and increased nanoparticle internalization (PMIDs 40447015, 38908758). A 3D-printed nasal model showed that a correctly positioned collimated fluid stream could deliver model fluids to the olfactory cavity, and a Bluetooth-controlled ultrasound device promoted brain penetration of intravenously administered macromolecular and small-molecule tracers by disrupting blood-brain-barrier tight junctions (PMIDs 38754735, 40081430).
๐ Acta biomaterialia โ๐ Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society โ๐ Journal of pharmaceutical sciences โ๐ International journal of pharmaceutics โ
Formulation Safety And Performance
Studies examined toxicity, biodistribution, organ effects, manufacturing, and formulation variables in delivery-related systems. Ocular biosafety testing evaluated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles with different tetrasulfur bond contents in three ocular cell lines and in vivo, while a 120-day mouse study measured accumulation, biodistribution, and organ changes caused by bovine-serum-albumin-coated gold nanoparticles (PMIDs 39055375, 38736658). Other work showed that PLGA manufacturer and polymer microstructure affected microsphere degradation and drug release in vitro and in vivo, and that electroporation parameters affected extracellular-vesicle concentration, size, zeta potential, and surface-marker profiles (PMIDs 38643259, 40981531).
๐ International journal of nanomedicine โ๐ International journal of nanomedicine โ๐ Drug delivery and translational research โ๐ Drug delivery โ