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Life
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Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers
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Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2024 | Viewed by 6859

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Vanessa F.C. Dartora

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory for Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: drug delivery; nanomedicine; biomaterials; tissue engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Pharmaceutics aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the evolving field of targeted therapeutic nanocarriers, focusing on the latest advancements and their implications.

Targeted therapeutic nanocarriers have garnered significant attention due to their potential to revolutionize drug delivery. The primary objective is to enhance the precision and efficacy of drug administration while minimizing adverse effects. However, several key challenges persist:

  1. Cutting-edge nanocarrier design: The forefront of nanocarrier technology is marked by groundbreaking materials and design strategies, revolutionizing the delivery of therapeutic agents. What innovative material and design strategies are pushing the boundaries of nanocarrier technology?
  2. Mastering drug loading and release: Ingenious strategies for loading and controlling the release of therapeutics promise to reshape the therapeutic landscape. How can we harness these strategies to optimize patient outcomes?
  3. Expanding therapeutic horizons: Nanocarriers are not confined to a single therapeutic area. From oncology to neurodegenerative diseases and emerging fields, they hold immense potential. What novel applications are being explored, and how can we unlock their full capabilities?
  4. Safety and regulatory considerations: Ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of nanocarrier-based therapies is paramount. What approaches are being developed to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical application?

Our Special Issue provides a platform for the comprehensive exploration of these crucial topics. We invite contributions from esteemed researchers, scientists, and innovators that share their insights and findings. Together, we aim to foster a nuanced understanding of the vast potential and challenges inherent in the field of targeted therapeutic nanocarriers.

As we find ourselves at the threshold of a promising phase in pharmaceutical research, we invite you to be a part of our efforts to explore and enhance drug delivery through innovative nanocarrier technologies. Your valuable contributions to the ongoing advancement in precision medicine are welcome. Your expertise will play a vital role in shaping the future landscape of drug delivery.

Dr. Vanessa F.C. Dartora
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • target therapy
  • biomaterials
  • nanomedicine
  • pharmaceutical
  • nanocarriers
  • drug loading and release
  • characterization
  • regulatory
  • biocompatibility
  • therapeutic nanocarriers

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3917 KiB  
Article
The Synthesis and Characterization of a Delivery System Based on Polymersomes and a Xanthone with Inhibitory Activity in Glioblastoma
by Ana Alves, Ana Margarida Silva, Claúdia Nunes, Sara Cravo, Salette Reis, Madalena Pinto, Emília Sousa, Francisca Rodrigues, Domingos Ferreira, Paulo C. Costa and Marta Correia-da-Silva
Life 2024, 14(1), 132; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/life14010132 - 17 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1145
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary malignant brain tumor. Current therapies are insufficient, and survival for individuals diagnosed with GBM is limited to a few months. New GBM treatments are urgent. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNs) can increase the circulation time of [...] Read more.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary malignant brain tumor. Current therapies are insufficient, and survival for individuals diagnosed with GBM is limited to a few months. New GBM treatments are urgent. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNs) can increase the circulation time of a drug in the brain capillaries. Polymersomes (PMs) are PNs that have been described as having attractive characteristics, mainly due to their stability, prolonged circulation period, biodegradability, their ability to sustain the release of drugs, and the possibility of surface functionalization. In this work, a poly(ethylene glycol)-ε-caprolactone (PEG-PCL) copolymer was synthesized and PMs were prepared and loaded with an hydrolytic instable compound, previously synthesized by our research team, the 3,6-bis(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-glucopyranosyl)xanthone (XGAc), with promising cytotoxicity on glioblastoma cells (U-373 MG) but also on healthy cerebral endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3). The prepared PMs were spherical particles with uniform morphology and similar sizes (mean diameter of 200 nm) and were stable in aqueous suspension. The encapsulation of XGAc in PMs (80% encapsulation efficacy) protected the healthy endothelial cells from the cytotoxic effects of this compound, while maintaining cytotoxicity for the glioblastoma cell line U-373 MG. Our studies also showed that the prepared PMs can efficiently release XGAc at intratumoral pHs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers)
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Review

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18 pages, 1513 KiB  
Review
Approaches to Characterize and Quantify Extracellular Vesicle Surface Conjugation Efficiency
by Leora Goldbloom-Helzner, Harjn Bains and Aijun Wang
Life 2024, 14(4), 511; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/life14040511 - 15 Apr 2024
Viewed by 701
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted nanovesicles that play an important role in long-range cell–cell communication. Although EVs pose a promising alternative to cell-based therapy, targeted in vivo delivery still falls short. Many studies have explored the surface modification of EVs to enhance their [...] Read more.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted nanovesicles that play an important role in long-range cell–cell communication. Although EVs pose a promising alternative to cell-based therapy, targeted in vivo delivery still falls short. Many studies have explored the surface modification of EVs to enhance their targeting capabilities. However, to our knowledge, there are no standardized practices to confirm the successful surface modification of EVs or calculate the degree of conjugation on EV surfaces (conjugation efficiency). These pieces of information are essential in the reproducibility of targeted EV therapeutics and the determination of optimized conjugation conditions for EVs to see significant therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo. This review will discuss the vast array of techniques adopted, technologies developed, and efficiency definitions made by studies that have calculated EV/nanoparticle surface conjugation efficiency and how differences between studies may contribute to differently reported conjugation efficiencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers)
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21 pages, 3217 KiB  
Review
Analytical Techniques for Characterizing Tumor-Targeted Antibody-Functionalized Nanoparticles
by Ana Camila Marques, Paulo C. Costa, Sérgia Velho and Maria Helena Amaral
Life 2024, 14(4), 489; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/life14040489 - 10 Apr 2024
Viewed by 534
Abstract
The specific interaction between cell surface receptors and corresponding antibodies has driven opportunities for developing targeted cancer therapies using nanoparticle systems. It is challenging to design and develop such targeted nanomedicines using antibody ligands, as the final nanoconjugate’s specificity hinges on the cohesive [...] Read more.
The specific interaction between cell surface receptors and corresponding antibodies has driven opportunities for developing targeted cancer therapies using nanoparticle systems. It is challenging to design and develop such targeted nanomedicines using antibody ligands, as the final nanoconjugate’s specificity hinges on the cohesive functioning of its components. The multicomponent nature of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles also complicates the characterization process. Regardless of the type of nanoparticle, it is essential to perform physicochemical characterization to establish a solid foundation of knowledge and develop suitable preclinical studies. A meaningful physicochemical evaluation of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles should include determining the quantity and orientation of the antibodies, confirming the antibodies’ integrity following attachment, and assessing the immunoreactivity of the obtained nanoconjugates. In this review, the authors describe the various techniques (electrophoresis, spectroscopy, colorimetric assays, immunoassays, etc.) used to analyze the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies and discuss the main results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers)
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37 pages, 2103 KiB  
Review
Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Drug Discovery in the Context of Revolutionizing Drug Delivery
by Anita Ioana Visan and Irina Negut
Life 2024, 14(2), 233; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/life14020233 - 07 Feb 2024
Viewed by 3786
Abstract
Drug development is expensive, time-consuming, and has a high failure rate. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in drug discovery, offering innovative solutions to complex challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. This manuscript covers the multifaceted role of [...] Read more.
Drug development is expensive, time-consuming, and has a high failure rate. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in drug discovery, offering innovative solutions to complex challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. This manuscript covers the multifaceted role of AI in drug discovery, encompassing AI-assisted drug delivery design, the discovery of new drugs, and the development of novel AI techniques. We explore various AI methodologies, including machine learning and deep learning, and their applications in target identification, virtual screening, and drug design. This paper also discusses the historical development of AI in medicine, emphasizing its profound impact on healthcare. Furthermore, it addresses AI’s role in the repositioning of existing drugs and the identification of drug combinations, underscoring its potential in revolutionizing drug delivery systems. The manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the AI programs and platforms currently used in drug discovery, illustrating the technological advancements and future directions of this field. This study not only presents the current state of AI in drug discovery but also anticipates its future trajectory, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revolutionizing Drug Delivery: Innovations in Targeted Therapeutic Nanocarriers)
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