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Polymers
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Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems: 2nd Edition
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Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2929

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ling Ding

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Interests: polymer based drug/gene delivery; biomaterials; advanced nanomaterials and nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Huizhen Jia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Interests: biomaterials; polymer; drug delivery; polymeric nanoparticle; gene delivery; nanomedicine; cancer therapy; liver fibrosis therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Novel delivery platforms based on natural and synthetic polymers have shown great therapeutic potential for the treatment of different kinds of diseases. Polymers can realize the efficient delivery and controlled release of cargo through physical adsorption, chemical conjunction, and/or internal loading. Notably, polymers with biodegradability, biocompatibility, and physicochemical stability are considered to be ideal delivery carriers. For example, the surface coating of a polymer with polyethylene glycol (PEG) improves water solubility and blood circulation; the conjugation of a polymer with specific markers/antibodies helps control drug distribution/targeting delivery in cancer specifically; some polymeric nanoparticles can cross the blood–brain barrier or improve drug resistance, etc. Polymer drug carriers should be nontoxic and non-immunogenic, which provides a safe framework to deliver therapeutic drugs without harm to the body. Biodegradable and bio-absorbable polymers are a promising choice for delivery systems, such as poly (lactic acid) and poly (glycolic acid) hydrogels. 

This Special Issue is focused on the latest development of novel delivery platforms based on natural and synthetic polymers.

Dr. Ling Ding
Dr. Huizhen Jia
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • polymer
  • polymeric drug
  • smart polymers
  • drug delivery systems
  • biodegradable/bioabsorbable
  • copolymers
  • natural/synthetic polymer

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2517 KB  
Article
Anticancer Potential of Fisetin Against Glioblastoma: In Vitro Evaluation, Radiostability Assessment, and Preliminary PLGA Encapsulation
by Agnieszka Sobczak, Katarzyna Dominiak, Bartłomiej Sztenc, Barbara Jadach, Aneta Woźniak-Braszak, Mikołaj Baranowski, Paweł Bilski, Aleksandra Majchrzak-Celińska, Violetta Krajka-Kuźniak, Anna Jelińska, Maciej Stawny and Aleksandra Gostyńska-Stawna
Polymers 2025, 17(22), 3074; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17223074 - 20 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1090
Abstract
(1) Background: Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, with a median survival time for patients treated with standard chemotherapy often of less than 1 year. Potential anticancer activity against glioblastoma is demonstrated by flavonoids, including fisetin (FIS). [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, with a median survival time for patients treated with standard chemotherapy often of less than 1 year. Potential anticancer activity against glioblastoma is demonstrated by flavonoids, including fisetin (FIS). Although, its clinical application is limited by poor solubility and chemical instability. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary evaluation of fisetin’s suitability for intravenous delivery by developing and characterizing FIS-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (FIS-PLGA-NPs) and assessing their in vitro cytotoxic potential against glioblastoma. (2) Methods: Six FIS-PLGA nanoparticle formulations were prepared via the emulsification–solvent evaporation method and evaluated for key physicochemical properties. The biological activity of fisetin was examined through cell cycle analysis and apoptosis assays, and the most promising formulation was further assessed using an MTT assay in U-138 MG glioblastoma cells. In parallel, pure fisetin was exposed to ionizing radiation, including the standard sterilization dose of 25 kGy, to evaluate its structural stability and suitability for terminal sterilization approaches. (3) Results: The selected formulation (NP4) exhibited a mean particle size of approximately 330 nm, a zeta potential of −7.2 mV, a polydispersity index of 0.25, and high encapsulation efficiency and drug loading of 83.58% and 13.93%, respectively. Despite its preliminary nature, this formulation retained cytotoxic activity in vitro. Moreover, pure fisetin maintained its structural and chemical integrity following radiation exposure, supporting the feasibility of radiation sterilization prior to nanoparticle incorporation. (4) Conclusions: These findings confirm the feasibility of combining radiosterilizable fisetin with PLGA-based nanoencapsulation and provide an initial foundation for the development of an injectable fisetin delivery system for glioblastoma treatment. Further optimization, particularly surface modification, will be required to enhance colloidal stability and systemic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems: 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 4446 KB  
Article
Spray-Dried Inclusion Complex of Apixaban with β-Cyclodextrin Derivatives: Characterization, Solubility, and Molecular Interaction Analysis
by Da Young Song, Jeong Gyun Lee and Kyeong Soo Kim
Polymers 2025, 17(21), 2850; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17212850 - 26 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1407
Abstract
Apixaban (APX) is a direct oral anticoagulant with low aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. This study aimed to improve APX solubility by forming spray-dried inclusion complexes (ICs) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivatives. ICs were prepared using hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD), sulfobutylether-β-CD (SBE-β-CD), randomly methylated-β-CD (RM-β-CD), and [...] Read more.
Apixaban (APX) is a direct oral anticoagulant with low aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. This study aimed to improve APX solubility by forming spray-dried inclusion complexes (ICs) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivatives. ICs were prepared using hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD), sulfobutylether-β-CD (SBE-β-CD), randomly methylated-β-CD (RM-β-CD), and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-CD (DM-β-CD). Complex formation (1:1 stoichiometry) was confirmed by phase solubility studies and Job’s plots. The ICs were characterized by SEM, PXRD, DSC, and FTIR, and their saturated solubility was evaluated. Molecular docking assessed host–guest interactions. Among the tested carriers, DM-β-CD exhibited the highest stability constant (KC = 371.92 M−1) and produced amorphous ICs. DM-ICs achieved the greatest solubility enhancement at all pH conditions, with a maximum solubility of 1968.7 μg/mL at pH 1.2 and ~78.7-fold increase in water compared with pure APX. Docking results supported stable inclusion with the lowest binding free energy (−8.01 kcal/mol). These findings indicate that DM-β-CD-based ICs effectively enhance APX dissolution and show potential as solubilizing carriers for oral dosage forms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems: 2nd Edition)
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