TARGETED DELIVERY AND CONTROLLED RELEASE USING POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES (PNPs) IN CANCER THERAPY
B. Premkumar*, S. Marylin Jeya Praya, Sheba Sebastian, T. Gayathiri, S. Punithavel,
A. Logesh, P. Manju Deepa, M. Saranya and M. Shibani
ABSTRACT
Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have revolutionized the landscape of cancer therapy. These nanocarriers, including polymeric nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers, and lipid-based systems, offer enhanced bioavailability, prolonged circulation, and preferential tumour accumulation through passive and active targeting mechanisms. Ligand-mediated strategies, using folate, transferrin, antibodies, and aptamers, further improve selective cellular uptake. Intelligent, stimuli-responsive nanocarriers that triggered by pH, redox, enzymes, or hypoxia would provide spatiotemporal control over drug release and thus enhancing therapeutic precision. Multifunctional platforms allow the co-delivery of chemotherapeutics, siRNA, natural compounds, and immunomodulators, thereby addressing multidrug resistance and enabling synergistic effects. Recent innovations also support the delivery of genome-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, positioning nanoparticles at the forefront of genetic therapy in oncology. Biodegradable polymers, implantable devices, microneedles, and in situ-forming hydrogels have been developed for localized and sustained drug release, improving treatment efficacy and patient compliance. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the design strategies, targeting mechanisms, and therapeutic applications of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems in cancer therapy.
Keywords: ligand-mediated targeting, biodegradable polymers, siRNA and gene delivery.
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