Advances in Nanotechnology-Based Drug Delivery Platforms and Novel Drug Delivery Systems

The human body has a multitude of physiological barriers that must be overcome for systemic delivery of a drug to a target region. Because these barriers are each of a different nature, a multifaceted approach to drug delivery should prove advantageous. Nanotechnology enables the design of multifunctional delivery vehicles that can penetrate biological obstacles. To date, four major design strategies have been utilized to obtain preferential accumulation of nanoparticles: (1) biophysical targeting, (2) molecular targeting, (3) use of biomaterials, and (4) use of external energy. Furthermore, the emergence of next-generation nanoparticles that incorporate nanomaterials that can be activated in a time-sequential manner offers promising tools for medical applications.