Dendrimer-based nanodevices for targeted drug delivery applications

This review reports some recent advances on the use of dendrimers as a versatile platform for targeted drug delivery applications. The unique 3-dimensional architectures and macromolecular characteristics afford dendrimers with ideal drug delivery ability through encapsulating drugs in their interior or covalently conjugating drugs on their surfaces. The adaptable surface functionalization ability enables covalent conjugation of various targeting molecules onto the surface of dendrimers, thereby allowing for generation of various multifunctional nanodevices for targeted drug delivery applications. In particular, the application of dendrimers as versatile platforms for targeted cancer therapeutics will be introduced in detail.