Liposomes have been considered promising and versatile drug vesicles. Compared with traditional drug delivery systems, liposomes exhibit better properties, including site-targeting, sustained or controlled release, protection of drugs from degradation and clearance, superior therapeutic effects, and lower toxic side effects. Given these merits, several liposomal drug products have been successfully approved and used in clinics over the last couple of decades. In this review, the liposomal drug products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) are discussed. Based on the published approval package in the FDA and European public assessment report (EPAR) in EMA, the critical chemistry information and mature pharmaceutical technologies applied in the marketed liposomal products, including the lipid excipient, manufacturing methods, nanosizing technique, drug loading methods, as well as critical quality attributions (CQAs) of products, are introduced. Additionally, the current regulatory guidance and future perspectives related to liposomal products are summarized. This knowledge can be used for research and development of the liposomal drug candidates under various pipelines, including the laboratory bench, pilot plant, and commercial manufacturing.

Tumor micro-environment responsive drug delivery systems (DDSs) have been developed as a potential approach to reduce the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Glutathione (GSH) has been supposed to the most significant signal of the difference between the normal tissue and the tumor cells, besides the media pH and temperature. In recent years, the reduction-responsive DDSs have attracted more and more attention for delivery of anti-cancer drugs, based on such physiological signal. Among them, disulfide bond-containing polymers have been designed as the main tool for the purpose. The recent progress in the synthesis strategies for the disulfide bondcontaining polymer-based DDS is focused in the present review.

Background: This study observed and compared the preventive effects of ramosetron and ondansetron on gastrointestinal side effects caused by cisplatin-containing chemotherapy. Methods: Fifty patients with malignant tumors undergoing their first chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups, and each group received 0.3 mg of ramosetron and 16 mg of ondansetron in a prospective crossover comparison study. Results: Data were collected for analysis of the therapeutic effect in 47 cases and for adverse events in 50 cases. Both drugs showed similar results in regard to chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal side effects, emesis and appetite loss on day 1, but by day 5, ramosetron was significantly better than ondansetron in terms of controlling appetite loss. From days 3–5, ramosetron tended to be more effective than ondansetron in its antiemetic action. The incidence of headache, fatigue and constipation was the same for both drugs. Conclusions: Ramosetron is a long-lasting and safe antiemetic agent.

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Xi Yao, Mengsu Yang, and co‐workers prepare transparent nanoparticle‐based liquid marbles for culturing tumor spheroids in 3D in article number https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.201700185. The formation of spheroids from a population of cancer cells or a single cell in the transparent liquid marbles can be optically recorded continuously. Tumor spheroids cultured in the liquid marbles show enhanced viability under the treatment of chemotherapeutic drugs and small interfering RNA.