Nanocarrier-hydrogel composite delivery systems for precision drug release
Hydrogels are a class of biomaterials widely implemented in medical applications due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Despite the many successes of hydrogel-based delivery systems, there remain challenges to hydrogel drug delivery such as a burst release at the time of administration, a limited ability to encapsulate certain types of drugs (i.e., hydrophobic drugs, proteins, antibodies, and nucleic acids), and poor tunability of geometry and shape for controlled drug release.
This review discusses two main important advances in hydrogel fabrication for precision drug release: first, the incorporation of nanocarriers to diversify their drug loading capability, and second, the design of hydrogels using 3D printing to precisely control drug dosing and release kinetics via high-resolution structures and geometries. We also outline ongoing challenges and discuss opportunities to further optimize drug release from hydrogels for personalized medicine.
Article information: , & (2021). Nanocarrier-hydrogel composite delivery systems for precision drug release. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, e1756. https://doi.org/10.1002/wnan.1756
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