Targeted therapy using nanotechnology: focus on cancer

Abstract

Recent advances in nanotechnology and biotechnology have contributed to the development of engineered nanoscale materials as innovative prototypes to be used for biomedical applications and optimized therapy. Due to their unique features, including a large surface area, structural properties, and a long circulation time in blood compared with small molecules, a plethora of nanomaterials has been developed, with the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of several diseases, in particular by improving the sensitivity and recognition ability of imaging contrast agents and by selectively directing bioactive agents to biological targets. Focusing on cancer, promising nanoprototypes have been designed to overcome the lack of specificity of conventional chemotherapeutic agents, as well as for early detection of precancerous and malignant lesions. However, several obstacles, including difficulty in achieving the optimal combination of physicochemical parameters for tumor targeting, evading particle clearance mechanisms, and controlling drug release, prevent the translation of nanomedicines into therapy. In spite of this, recent efforts have been focused on developing functionalized nanoparticles for delivery of therapeutic agents to specific molecular targets overexpressed on different cancer cells. In particular, the combination of targeted and controlled-release polymer nanotechnologies has resulted in a new programmable nanotherapeutic formulation of docetaxel, namely BIND-014, which recently entered Phase II clinical testing for patients with solid tumors. BIND-014 has been developed to overcome the limitations facing delivery of nanoparticles to many neoplasms, and represents a validated example of targeted nanosystems with the optimal biophysicochemical properties needed for successful tumor eradication.

The Therapeutic Potential of Nanobodies

“…However, our current knowledge of nanoparticle pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, metabolism and clearance is limited due to the small number of such particles being tested in clinical trials [83]. Additionally, potential toxicity issues for humans and the environment of the employment of inorganic nanoparticles are still to be determined [27,[85][86][87]. Once administered, nanoparticles will have the opportunity to interact with different biological environments (like cytoplasm and extracellular matrix), multiple cells, organs and tissues before they reach their specific target [27].…”

Nanoparticles of Titanium and Zinc Oxides as Novel Agents in Tumor Treatment: a Review

“…The challenge the nanomedicine is now facing is to find the most effective way of the tumor cells eradication [13]. The main area this discipline is trying to explore is designing systems of targeted drug delivery and release into pathologically altered cells, increasing the drug treatment effectiveness, and limiting their side effects [14, 15].…”

Surface modification of microparticles causes differential uptake responses in normal and tumoral human breast epithelial cells

“…This is due to the unique and controllable physicochemical properties of micro- and nanoparticles, which allow them to integrate multiple functions such as biosensing1234, targeting5678 and drug delivery91011. Recently, a wide range of studies has focused on the fabrication and characterization of new micro- and nanoparticles for biomedical purposes.…”