Journal
NANO TODAY
Volume 11, Issue 1, Pages 13-30Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.nantod.2015.11.003
Keywords
Drug; Molecular assembly; Nanostructures; Supramolecular; Drug delivery
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [DMR 1255281]
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) [1R21CA191740]
- Division Of Materials Research
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [1255281] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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The convergence of nanoscience and drug delivery has prompted the formation of the field of nanomedicine, one that exploits the novel physicochemical and biological properties of nanostructures for improved medical treatments and reduced side effects. Until recently, this nanostructure-mediated strategy considered the drug to be solely a biologically active compound to be delivered, and its potential as a molecular building unit remained largely unexplored. A growing trend within nanomedicine has been the use of drug molecules to build well-defined nanostructures of various sizes and shapes. This strategy allows for the creation of self-delivering supramolecular nanomedicines containing a high and fixed drug content. Through rational design of the number and type of the drug incorporated, the resulting nanostructures can be tailored to assume various morphologies (e.g. nanospheres, rods, nanofibers, or nano tubes) for a particular mode of administration such as systemic, topical, or local delivery. This review covers the recent advances in this rapidly developing field, with the aim of providing an in-depth evaluation of the exciting opportunities that this new field could create to improve the current clinical practice of nanomedicine. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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