Polymeric Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomedicine promises to implement site-specific treatment compared to the administration of free agents. In particular, dozens of polymer-based nanomedicines have already been approved in the clinic. However, frustratingly, suboptimal and unpredictable preclinical and clinical potency are still the mainstream. For instance, the most successful nanomedicines, Doxil and Abraxane, could only achieve modest benefits compared with their free counterparts. In consequence, building on developments in chemistry, physics, materials science, and nanotechnology, the past few decades have witnessed the evolution of nanomedicine from static and biologically inert entities to more active and smart systems, which aim at efficiently crossing biological barriers to further improve the therapeutic index of and advance next-generation targeted nanomedicine.

In this Special Issue we will focus on the related chemo-physical strategies to cross pathophysiological barriers and advanced the functionality of polymer-based and polymer/iorganic-nanoparticle-hybrid-based nanomedicine. In particular, the following four topics are touched upon: (i) stimuli-responsive and/or actively targeted nanomedicine based on tissue vasculature characteristics (e.g., paracellular leakiness), the tissue microenvironment (e.g., pH gradient, redox status changes, enzyme concentration, and receptor expression), or available exogenous stimuli (e.g., light); (ii) tissue-microenvironment-reprogramming strategies for rejuvenating nanomedicine via improving tissue accumulation and responsiveness; (iii) transcytosable nanomedicine for overcoming the vascular barrier; and (iv) immuno-oncological nanomedicine. The scope of this Special Issue is not limited to cancer therapeutics. Research concerned with other inflammatory diseases and metabolic diseases is also welcome.  

Dr. Junjie Li
Dr. Zheng Wang
Dr. Jinbing Xie
Guest Editors

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• stimuli-responsive polymer
• active targeting
• tissue-microenvironment-reprogramming strategies
• transcytosable nanomedicine
• immunotherapy
• inflammatory diseases
• metabolic diseases