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Pharmaceutics
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Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy
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Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2944

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jacy Gameiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, MG, Brazil
Interests: nanocarriers; immunology; hybrid nanoparticles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the latest advancements in the development and application of hybrid nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Hybrid nanoparticles, composed of two or more different materials, offer unique properties that enhance drug delivery, imaging, and therapeutic efficacy. By combining nanomaterials such as polymers, lipids, metals, and biomolecules, hybrid nanoparticles can overcome biological barriers, target cancer cells more effectively, and reduce side effects associated with traditional treatments. This Special Issue will gather cutting-edge research from experts in the field to provide a comprehensive overview of innovative strategies and emerging technologies in the design, synthesis, and clinical application of hybrid nanoparticles for cancer treatment.

We invite contributions that focus on both fundamental and applied aspects of hybrid nanoparticle technologies for cancer therapy. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Design, synthesis, and characterization of hybrid nanoparticles for cancer therapy;
  • Mechanisms of action and biological interactions of hybrid nanoparticles;
  • Targeted drug delivery systems using hybrid nanoparticles;
  • Hybrid nanoparticles for gene therapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy in cancer treatment;
  • The role of nanomaterials in overcoming drug resistance in cancer;
  • Imaging and diagnostic applications of hybrid nanoparticles in oncology;
  • In vitro and in vivo evaluation of hybrid nanoparticles in cancer models;
  • Clinical translation and regulatory challenges for hybrid nanoparticle-based therapies;
  • Toxicity, safety, and pharmacokinetics of hybrid nanoparticles.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews and clinical studies are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jacy Gameiro
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hybrid nanoparticles
  • cancer therapy
  • targeted drug delivery
  • nanomedicine
  • tumor microenvironment
  • gene therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • diagnostics
  • nanomaterials

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2538 KiB  
Article
Impact of pH-Responsive Cisplatin/Ribavirin-Loaded Monodispersed Magnetic Silica Nanocomposite on A549 Lung Cancer Cells
by Dana Almohazey, Vijaya Ravinayagam, Hatim Dafalla and Rabindran Jermy Balasamy
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050631 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 417
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Nanocarrier particle design for treating chronic pulmonary diseases presents several challenges, including anatomical and physiological barriers. Drug-repurposing technology using monodispersed spherical silica is one of the innovative ways to deliver drugs. In the present study, the anticancer potential of combinational cisplatin/ribavirin [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Nanocarrier particle design for treating chronic pulmonary diseases presents several challenges, including anatomical and physiological barriers. Drug-repurposing technology using monodispersed spherical silica is one of the innovative ways to deliver drugs. In the present study, the anticancer potential of combinational cisplatin/ribavirin was explored for targeted lung cancer therapeutics. Methods: Monodispersed spherical silica (80 nm) capable of diffusing into the tracheal mucus region was chosen and doped with 10 wt% superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). Subsequently, it was wrapped with chitosan (Chi, 0.6 wt/vol%), functionalized with 5% wt/wt cisplatin (Cp)/ribavarin (Rib) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) (1.0 μL/mL). Formulations are based on monodispersed spherical silica or halloysite and are termed as (S/MSSiO2/Chi/Cp/Rib) or (S/Hal/Chi/Cp/Rib), respectively. Results: X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy (DRS-UV-vis) analysis of S/MSSiO2/Chi/Cp/Rib confirmed the presence of SPION nanoclusters on the silica surface (45% coverage). The wrapping of chitosan on the silica was confirmed with a Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) stretching band at 670 cm−1 and ascribed to the amide group of the polymer. The surface charge by zetasizer and saturation magnetization by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were found to be −15.3 mV and 8.4 emu/g. The dialysis membrane technique was used to study the Cp and Rib release between the tumor microenvironment and normal pH ranges from 5.5 to 7.4. S/MSSiO2/Chi formulation demonstrated pH-responsive Cp and Rib at acidic pH (5.6) and normal pH (7.4). Cp and Rib showed release of ~27% and ~17% at pH 5.6, which decreases to ~14% and ~3.2% at pH 7.4, respectively. To assess the compatibility and cytotoxic effect of our nanocomposites, the cell viability assay (MTT) was conducted on cancer lung cells A549 and normal HEK293 cells. Conclusions: The study shows that the designed nanoformulations with multifunctional capabilities are able to diffuse into the lung cells bound with dual drugs and the ACE-2 receptor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy)
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12 pages, 1138 KiB  
Article
Sonoporation with Echogenic Liposomes: The Evaluation of Glioblastoma Applicability Using In Vivo Xenograft Models
by Ju-Hyun Park, Yoo-Kyung Lee, Hana Lee, Dong-Hyun Choi, Ki-Jong Rhee, Han Sung Kim and Jong-Bum Seo
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040509 - 11 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 383
Abstract
Objective: In previous studies, echogenic liposomes with liquid and gas cores were analyzed as alternative carriers of drug molecules and cavitation nuclei for sonoporation. The possibility of small interfering RNA (si-RNA) encapsulation has also been presented. In this study, the usability of [...] Read more.
Objective: In previous studies, echogenic liposomes with liquid and gas cores were analyzed as alternative carriers of drug molecules and cavitation nuclei for sonoporation. The possibility of small interfering RNA (si-RNA) encapsulation has also been presented. In this study, the usability of echogenic liposomes as drug carriers and cavitation seeds was evaluated using an in vivo model. Methods: A doxorubicin-loaded echogenic liposome was synthesized as a drug carrier. The size distribution and the number of formed echogenic liposomes were measured. Five comparative in vivo experiments were conducted with and without doxorubicin-loaded echogenic liposomes, and the results were statically analyzed. Results: Sonoporation with doxorubicin-loaded echogenic liposomes at 3.05 W/cm2 of ISPTA ultrasound sonication and 0.98 MHz results in an average tumor volume growth of less than 25% of that following the simple administration of doxorubicin. Considering the p-value between the two groups is approximately 0.03, doxorubicin-loaded echogenic liposomes were effectively applicable as cavitation nuclei for sonoporation. Conclusions: Although further studies are needed to clarify the responses to incident ultrasound fields, the proposed echogenic liposome appears to be a promising alternative cavitation nuclei/carrier for sonoporation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy)
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21 pages, 90905 KiB  
Article
Intestinal Probiotic Lysate Modified Bifunctional Nanoparticle for Efficient Colon Cancer Immunotherapy
by Manfang Zhu, Hongkui Chen, Xiaohua Chen, Yueyang Zhang, Xiayu Chen, Bailing Zhou, Xingmei Duan, Na Zhou and Xin Zhang
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(2), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17020139 - 21 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1162
Abstract
Background: In cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy has become a promising strategy through the introduction of immunostimulatory components into its formulation. However, ideal non-viral gene delivery platforms capable of simultaneously maintaining a high delivery efficiency and immune activation are still in demand. As an [...] Read more.
Background: In cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy has become a promising strategy through the introduction of immunostimulatory components into its formulation. However, ideal non-viral gene delivery platforms capable of simultaneously maintaining a high delivery efficiency and immune activation are still in demand. As an intestinal probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri has potential correlation with cancer progression. Its unique antigenicity also confers its immunomodulatory activity. Method: We engineered a new non-viral siRNA delivery system, DMPLAC. By wrapping the lysate of Lactobacillus reuteri, it is expected to enhance the anti-cancer immunostimulatory properties. Result: Supported by certain internalization pathways, the prepared DMPLAC nanoparticles showed high siRNA delivery efficiency in vitro (up to 97.62%). They also strongly promoted the maturation and activation of immune cells, including dendritic and T cells, both in vitro and in vivo. By loading siRNA targeting the immune checkpoint CD47 gene, the DMPLAC/siCD47 complex strongly suppressed the growth of multiple colon cancer models through local administration with high safety. Conclusions: Our study developed a novel intestinal probiotic lysate-based gene delivery system with dual immunomodulatory abilities, suggesting a potential strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy)
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Review

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62 pages, 12414 KiB  
Review
Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials: A Review from the Standpoint of Pharmacy and Medicine
by Gleb V. Petrov, Alena M. Koldina, Oleg V. Ledenev, Vladimir N. Tumasov, Aleksandr A. Nazarov and Anton V. Syroeshkin
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 655; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050655 - 16 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 567
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) represent a unique class of structures in the modern world. In comparison to macro- and microparticles, NPs exhibit advantages due to their physicochemical properties. This has resulted in their extensive application not only in technical and engineering sciences, but also in [...] Read more.
Nanoparticles (NPs) represent a unique class of structures in the modern world. In comparison to macro- and microparticles, NPs exhibit advantages due to their physicochemical properties. This has resulted in their extensive application not only in technical and engineering sciences, but also in pharmacy and medicine. A recent analysis of the scientific literature revealed that the number of articles related to the search term “nanoparticle drugs” has exceeded 65,000 in the last decade alone, according to PubMed. The growth of scientific publications on NPs and nanomaterials (NMs) in pharmacy demonstrates the rapidly developing interest of scientists in exploring alternative ways to deliver drugs, thereby improving their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, and the increased biocompatibility of many nanopharmaceuticals is a unique key to two mandatory pharmaceutical requirements—drug efficacy and safety. A comprehensive review of the literature indicates that the modern pharmaceutical industry is increasingly employing nanostructures. The exploration of their physicochemical properties with a subsequent modern approach to quality control remains the main task of modern pharmaceutical chemistry. The primary objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of data on NPs, their physicochemical properties, and modern approaches to their synthesis, modification of their surface, and application in pharmacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy)
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