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Biocompatible Polymeric Nanoparticles as Promising Candidates for Drug Delivery in Cancer Treatment

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Handbook of Polymer and Ceramic Nanotechnology

Abstract

The use of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) in pharmacology provides many benefits because this approach can increase the efficacy and selectivity of active compounds. However, development of new nanocarriers requires better understanding of the interactions between NPs and the immune system, allowing for the optimization of NP properties for effective drug delivery, especially for systemic delivery. Nanopolymers are constructed from biocompatible and biodegradable polymers which are one of the promising trends of biomaterial where the drug is dissolved, entrapped, encapsulated, or attached to a nanoparticle matrix. When biocompatible materials are applied to the body, it is expected to perform a desired response without any side effects. Polymeric NPs represent one of the most innovative noninvasive approaches for drug delivery applications. NPs’ main objective is to convey the therapeutic molecules, including drugs, proteins, and nucleic acids, directly into the target organ or tissue. Many polymers are used for the synthesis of NPs, and among the currently most employed materials, several biocompatible synthetic polymers, namely, polylactic acid (PLA), polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), are well appreciated. These molecules are made of simple monomers which are easily excreted without being toxic. NPs can be modified to target specific cells or cross membrane barriers. In this chapter the various types of biodegradable polymer NPs will be discussed with emphasis on their applications in cancer drug delivery, where both active and passive targeting are used to enhance efficacy and reduce systemic toxicity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

    Md Abdus Subhan

  2. CPBN, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Vladimir P. Torchilin

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  1. Md Abdus Subhan
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  2. Vladimir P. Torchilin
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Correspondence to Md Abdus Subhan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Chemistry and EVSC, New Jersey InstTech, 151 D Tiernan-NJIT, Newark, NJ, USA

    Chaudhery Mustansar Hussain

  2. Centre for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India

    Sabu Thomas

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Subhan, M.A., Torchilin, V.P. (2021). Biocompatible Polymeric Nanoparticles as Promising Candidates for Drug Delivery in Cancer Treatment. In: Hussain, C.M., Thomas, S. (eds) Handbook of Polymer and Ceramic Nanotechnology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10614-0_80-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10614-0_80-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-10614-0

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