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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Advanced Nano-Formulations for Drug Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy
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Advanced Nano-Formulations for Drug Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2026) | Viewed by 4934

Editor

Dr. Narsimha Mamidi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Wisconsin Center for NanoBioSystems, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
Interests: biomaterials; nanomedicine; immunotherapy; advanced drug delivery formulations; biomedical applications; drug/gene delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid evolution of nanotechnology has revolutionized drug delivery and immunotherapy, offering unprecedented precision in targeting cancer cells while minimizing systemic toxicity. This Special Issue explores advanced nano-formulations, including polymeric nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, nanofibers, hydrogels, nanocomposites, liposomes, and inorganic carriers engineered to enhance drug solubility, stability, and tumor-specific accumulation. A key focus is their role in cancer immunotherapy, where nano-formulations potentiate immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies by modulating the tumor microenvironment. Contributions highlight innovations in stimuli-responsive systems, combination therapies, and personalized nanomedicine, alongside challenges in scalability, biocompatibility, and clinical translation. By bridging interdisciplinary research, this Special Issue aims to accelerate the development of next-generation nanotherapeutics for improved oncological outcomes.

Dr. Narsimha Mamidi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • nanomedicine
  • drug delivery systems
  • cancer immunotherapy
  • targeted therapy
  • nanoparticle design
  • tumor microenvironment
  • immune checkpoint blockade
  • combination therapy
  • stimuli-responsive carriers
  • clinical translation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 6462 KB  
Article
Mechanistic Modulation of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Hepatic Injury by Chitosan-Coated Selenium Nanoparticles: Targeting the STEAP-3/TLR-4 and IL-17/TRAF-6/HSP-90 Axes
by Asmaa Ramadan, Eman Hamza, Eman Ali Elkordy, Eslam E. Abd El Fattah, Amr Yehia and Ahmed S.G. Srag El-Din
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(3), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18030388 - 20 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1379
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the mechanistic hepatoprotective efficacy of selenium (SE) and chitosan-coated selenium nanoparticles (CS-SENPs) using a rat model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: CS-SENP was prepared and characterized for particle size, polydispersity index [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the mechanistic hepatoprotective efficacy of selenium (SE) and chitosan-coated selenium nanoparticles (CS-SENPs) using a rat model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: CS-SENP was prepared and characterized for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Male albino rats (n = 40) were divided into four groups: control, LPS, SE, and CS-SENP. SE and CS-SENPs (5 mg/kg orally for 14 days) were given before LPS injection. Tissue architecture was assessed using histopathological analysis. HSP-47 and STEAP-3 protein expression levels were measured using ELISA, and oxidative stress markers were quantitatively evaluated. The expression of HO-1, TLR-4, STAT-3, TRAF-6, and IL-17A was measured using immunohistochemical analysis. Furthermore, HSP-90 expression was evaluated by immunofluorescence labeling. Results: CS-SENP characterization revealed uniform (PDI = 0.125 ± 0.04) nanoparticle size (108.54 ± 2.24 nm), with high zeta potential (+63.92 ± 6.287 mV), attributed to the CS layer, which was confirmed by FTIR and TEM as an electron-lucent halo enveloping the individual SENP cores. CS-SENPs significantly reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA) and restored glutathione (GSH) more effectively than SE. CS-SENPs improved redox (upregulated HO-1) and iron balance (downregulated STEAP-3), and also increased the anti-inflammatory effect (suppressed TLR-4, IL-17A, TRAF-6, and STAT-3). CS-SENPs showed superior antifibrotic efficacy (suppresses stress proteins, HSP-47 and HSP-90). Rats treated with CS-SENPs had nearly normal liver structure. Conclusions: The results concluded that CS-SENPs had superior and multi-targeted hepatoprotection against LPS-induced liver damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nano-Formulations for Drug Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy)
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20 pages, 10890 KB  
Article
Development of Stearic Acid Nanoemulsion for Therapeutic Delivery of Talazoparib Against Breast Cancer
by Jingjing Zhang, Zhongkun Zhang, Xiaohan Xia, Kaixin Feng, Siyu Yao, Yufei Wang and Min Wu
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18030378 - 19 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1150
Abstract
Objectives: Talazoparib (TZL) is a potent PARP inhibitor but suffers from poor aqueous solubility, dissolution-limited absorption, and dose-limiting systemic toxicities, which together restrict its antitumor efficacy in some breast cancer settings. This study aimed to develop a stearic acid-based nanoemulsion (SANE) to [...] Read more.
Objectives: Talazoparib (TZL) is a potent PARP inhibitor but suffers from poor aqueous solubility, dissolution-limited absorption, and dose-limiting systemic toxicities, which together restrict its antitumor efficacy in some breast cancer settings. This study aimed to develop a stearic acid-based nanoemulsion (SANE) to improve the delivery of TZL and enhance its antitumor activity and preliminarily explore its impact on DNA damage response-related pathways. Methods: SANE-TZL was prepared using a high-pressure homogenization method, and its physicochemical properties were characterized. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were used to evaluate cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and changes in key DNA damage response markers. In vivo therapeutic efficacy and safety were assessed in an MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model. Results: SANE-TZL exhibited a uniform particle size of approximately 118 nm with excellent stability. In MCF-7 cells, SANE-TZL significantly enhanced drug internalization, resulting in an 8.4-fold reduction in IC50 compared to free TZL. Consistently, in MDA-MB-231 cells, SANE-TZL also showed markedly increased antiproliferative activity. At the molecular level, SANE-TZL modulated the expression of several DNA damage response-related genes, including BRCA1, RAD51, and SLFN11, in a manner consistent with impaired DNA repair capacity. In vivo, high-dose SANE-TZL achieved a tumor growth inhibition (TGI) rate of 58.55%, which was higher than that of the free TZL group (41.86%) and the blank eSANE group (17.59%). No evident hematological or organ toxicities were observed in the SANE-TZL-treated groups. Conclusions: SANE-TZL markedly improves the delivery efficiency and antitumor activity of TZL in breast cancer models while maintaining a favorable safety profile. By combining a functional stearic acid carrier with TZL, this nanoemulsion formulation represents a safe and potent strategy to enhance PARP inhibitor-based chemotherapy in breast cancer, and it may provide a basis for further mechanistic studies on DNA damage response modulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nano-Formulations for Drug Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy)
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17 pages, 3534 KB  
Article
Advanced Vaginal Nanodelivery of Losartan Potassium via PEGylated Zein Nanoparticles for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
by Rofida Albash, Mariam Hassan, Ahmed M. Agiba, Haneen Waleed Mohamed, Mohamed Safwat Hassan, Roaa Mohamed Ali, Yara E. Shalabi, Hend Mahmoud Abdelaziz Omran, Moaz A. Eltabeeb, Jawaher Abdullah Alamoudi, Asmaa Saleh, Amira B. Kassem and Yasmina Elmahboub
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(10), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17101344 - 18 Oct 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Background/Objectives: PEGylated zein nanoparticles (PZNs) loaded with losartan potassium (LOS) were developed as a repurposed treatment for vaginal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. PZNs were prepared using the ethanol injection method with different types and amounts of Brij® surfactant. Methods: The [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: PEGylated zein nanoparticles (PZNs) loaded with losartan potassium (LOS) were developed as a repurposed treatment for vaginal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. PZNs were prepared using the ethanol injection method with different types and amounts of Brij® surfactant. Methods: The prepared formulations were optimized using a D-optimal mixture design via Design-Expert® software version 13. The assessed responses included entrapment efficiency (EE%), particle size (PS), and zeta potential (ZP). Results: The optimized PZNs, composed of 30 mg Brij® O20 and 10 mg zein, exhibited spherical particles with an EE% of 90.58 ± 1.20%, PS of 200.81 ± 1.39 nm, PDI of 0.395 ± 0.01, and ZP of −36.59 ± 0.05 mV. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed complete deposition of fluorescein-labeled PZNs within vaginal tissues. Ex vivo studies showed that PZNs resulted in prolonged permeation of LOS compared to the LOS solution. In a murine model of MRSA infection, the optimized PZNs demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy over the LOS solution. Histopathological examinations confirmed the safety of the tested formulations. Conclusions: In conclusion, the optimized PZNs present a promising approach for the treatment of MRSA-related vaginal infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nano-Formulations for Drug Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy)
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