Nanocarriers for Skin Applications: Where Do We Stand?

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie 2022-01, Vol.134 (3), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Tiwari, Neha, Osorio‐Blanco, Ernesto Rafael, Sonzogni, Ana, Esporrín‐Ubieto, David, Wang, Huiyi, Calderón, Marcelo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Damage; Drug delivery; gene expression; Nanoparticles; Penetration; Permeability; Side effects; Skin; skin penetration; Stratum corneum; transdermal vaccination
• ISSN: 0044-8249; 1521-3757
• DOI: 10.1002/ange.202107960

Skin penetration of active molecules for treatment of diverse diseases is a major field of research owing to the advantages associated with the skin like easy accessibility, reduced systemic‐derived side effects, and increased therapeutic efficacy. Despite these advantages, dermal drug delivery is generally challenging due to the low skin permeability of therapeutics. Although various methods have been developed to improve skin penetration and permeation of therapeutics, they are usually aggressive and could lead to irreversible damage to the stratum corneum. Nanosized carrier systems represent an alternative approach for current technologies, with minimal damage to the natural barrier function of skin. In this Review, the use of nanoparticles to deliver drug molecules, genetic material, and vaccines into the skin is discussed. In addition, nanotoxicology studies and the recent clinical development of nanoparticles are highlighted to shed light on their potential to undergo market translation. The use of nanocarriers for dermal drug delivery is a very promising research topic, as it enables the penetration of therapeutics across the skin, a highly complex biological barrier. This Review highlights recent advances in this area and describes the current status of nanocarriers to undergo market translation.