Analysis on the current status of targeted drug delivery to tumors

Targeted drug delivery to tumor sites is one of the ultimate goals in drug delivery. Recent progress in nanoparticle engineering has certainly improved drug targeting, but the results are not as good as expected. This is largely due to the fact that nanoparticles, regardless of how advanced they are...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of controlled release 2012-12, Vol.164 (2), p.108-114
Main Authors: Kwon, Il Keun, Lee, Sang Cheon, Han, Bumsoo, Park, Kinam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies
Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage
Biological and medical sciences
Blood circulation
Cancer
Controlled release
Drug delivery
Drug Delivery Systems
Drug development
drugs
engineering
EPR effect
General pharmacology
Humans
Medical sciences
Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles - administration & dosage
neoplasms
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Targeted drug delivery
tissues
Tumor
Tumors
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Summary:Targeted drug delivery to tumor sites is one of the ultimate goals in drug delivery. Recent progress in nanoparticle engineering has certainly improved drug targeting, but the results are not as good as expected. This is largely due to the fact that nanoparticles, regardless of how advanced they are, find the target as a result of blood circulation, like the conventional drug delivery systems do. Currently, the nanoparticle-based drug delivery to the target tumor tissues is based on wrong assumptions that most of the nanoparticles, either PEGylated or not, reach the target by the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Studies have shown that so-called targeting moieties, i.e., antibodies or ligands, on the nanoparticle surface do not really improve delivery to target tumors. Targeted drug delivery to tumor sites is associated with highly complex biological, mechanical, chemical and transport phenomena, of which characteristics vary spatiotemporally. Yet, most of the efforts have been focused on design and surface manipulation of the drug carrying nanoparticles with relatively little attention to other aspects. This article examines the current misunderstandings and the main difficulties in targeted drug delivery. [Display omitted]
ISSN:0168-3659
1873-4995
DOI:10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.07.010