Nishi Mody

Polymeric Hydrogel: A Flexible Carrier System for Drug Delivery

Hydrogels are promising and innovative drug delivery system that plays a vital role by addressing the problems associated with old and modern therapeutics such as nonspecific effects and poor stability. Hydrogels are extensively being explored as drug delivery systems due to ease of their modifications and ability to efficiently encapsulate therapeutics of diverse nature through simple mechanisms. These are essentially based on hydrophilic polymer networks, with a tendency to imbibe water when placed in an aqueous environment. The affinity to aqueous solutions, superior colloidal properties, inertness in the biological system and the internal aqueous environment, make them suitable for incorporation of bulky drugs for delivery of chemotherapeutics and proteins. Present chapter presents introduction to hydrogel based drug delivery including types of hydrogel, their composition, types of polymerization techniques used for formulation of hydrogel and characterization of hydrogel. Furthermore, stimuli responsive hydrogels and their biomedical applications will be summarized.

Nanotechnology-Based Immunotherapeutic Strategies for the Treatment of Cancer

Cancer is a dreadful disease and presently the leading cause of death worldwide. Scientists are continuously exploring new treatment regimen for successful management of this disease. Advancement in the field of nanotechnology and its integration with the field of immunotherapy has paved new ways for improving the treatment of cancer. Immunotherapy refers to therapeutic approaches that treat cancer by using patient’s own immune system. By using nanometric-sized particulate and vesicular carriers, tumor-associated antigen(s) and adjuvant(s) can be simultaneously administered which augment the immune system activation and this concept can be wisely used for designing nanotechnology-based cancer immunotherapy. Also nanotechnology-based immunotherapy confers certain benefits like enhanced therapeutic effect, targeted delivery to immune cells, and reduced adverse outcomes. Nanotechnology-based therapeutic cancer vaccine consists of antigen(s), delivery system, and adjuvant. This chapter comprises of the expected outcomes of simultaneous delivery of tumor-associated antigen(s) and adjuvant to dendritic cells using vesicular and particulate vaccine delivery system(s). It is also a summarized overview on the advancement of polymeric- and lipid-based delivery systems for the development of nanotechnology-based cancer immunotherapy.

Nanoparticulate carrier(s): an emerging paradigm in new generation vaccine development

Vaccination has been accomplished as one of the most effective method of regulating microbial infections. Progress in nano-biotechnology has created opportunities for the development of a nanocarrier-based new generation of vaccines against various diseases such as cancer, malaria, hepatitis B, anthrax, AIDS, etc. Nanoparticulate-carrier-based vaccine delivery is a promising approach owing to their nano size, biodegradability, biocompatibility nature, immune adjuvant property, spatiotemporal delivery of antigens, and ability to provide effective immunization through better targeting and by triggering antibody response at the cellular level. Nanoparticulate carriers can overcome the major challenges associated with conventional vaccines such as stability, low immune response, biocompatibility, degradation followed by clearance from the site sometimes prior to the desired action. Nanocarriers include polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, niosomes, bilosomes, emulsomes, nanocapsules, and so forth progressively being applied for effective nanovaccines development. The proposed chapter summarizes the cutting edge technologies of nanoparticulate-carrier-based new generation of vaccine development, including design aspects, clinical trials, and so on.

Bioinspired nanotheranostics for cancer management

Abstract Nanotechnology-based “theranostic” approaches have gained much interest in the area of cancer research, particularly in the development of novel nanomedicine that combines therapeutic and bioimaging agents using a single nanoscale carrier system. This concept, coined as “nanotheranostics,” enables diagnosis and monitoring of bioactive(s) delivery and therapeutic response in real time. By combining therapeutic functionalities with molecular imaging, theranostic-based modalities may be beneficial in the selection of therapy, planning of treatment, monitoring of objective response, and planning of follow-up therapy based on the specific molecular characteristics of a disease. Significant nanomaterial(s)-based attempts have been made to combine therapeutic and diagnostic properties into a single effective nanomedicine formulation. This chapter describes the various modalities that combine tumor therapeutic agents and bioimaging agents into a single nanoplatform. This manuscript also focuses on the various nanotheranostics, which include polymeric nanoparticles, lipid-based vesicular nanocarriers, gold nanostructures, magnetic nanoparticles, micelles, carbon nanotubes, and quantum dots, with their targeted codelivery of cancer bioactives and diagnostic agents in a controlled and sustained manner for better biomedical applications in cancer therapeutics and diagnostics.

Engineered nanoparticles as a precise delivery system in cancer therapeutics

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles have gained much attention in recent decades in the field of drug delivery, particularly in the development of new-generation cancer therapies. Nanoparticle-based cancer therapies are a promising strategy owing to their nanosize, surface-modifiable properties, and ability to overcome the biomedical, biological, and biophysical barriers. It was realized that engineered nanoparticle-loaded bioactive(s) could not only selectively gain access to tumor but also release the drug(s) at a predefined site in a controlled and targeted manner with better chemotherapeutic index. Engineered nanoparticles in cancer therapy offer many targeted functions such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, thermotherapy, immune-detection, imaging, antiangiogenesis, and photodynamic therapy. Numerous clinical studies prove that nanoparticle-based approaches can enhance efficacy and reduce side effects as compared to conventional cancer therapies. This chapter summarizes the recent advancement of nanoparticles for tumor-targeted therapies, including theragnostic applications, clinical trials, and recent patents.