DrugdeliveryTrägermaterialien

DrugdeliveryTrägermaterialien, commonly referred to as drug delivery carrier materials, are substances used to transport therapeutic agents to specific sites in the body, enabling controlled release, improved stability, and enhanced bioavailability. They are engineered to carry drugs, genes, or vaccines and release them under predefined conditions.

Carrier materials encompass organic and inorganic systems, including polymeric carriers (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) PLGA, polycaprolactone, PEGylated polymers), lipid-based carriers (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles), dendrimers, inorganic carriers such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles and calcium phosphates, and hydrogels or microneedle arrays. Each class offers distinct advantages in loading capacity, stability, and release profiles.

Key design considerations include biocompatibility and biodegradability, particle size and surface charge, payload capacity, and release kinetics (diffusion, degradation, or stimuli-responsive release). Surface modification with ligands can enable active targeting, while passive targeting exploits vascular permeability and biodistribution. Regulatory and manufacturing aspects influence material choice, scalability, and quality control.

Applications span oncology, vaccines, gene therapy, nervous system delivery, and regenerative medicine. Approved products, particularly liposomal formulations, demonstrate clinical viability, while many systems remain at the research stage, aiming to improve specificity, reduce toxicity, and enable combination therapies.

Challenges include potential toxicity and immunogenicity, manufacturing scalability, reproducibility, and regulatory requirements for characterization and stability. Ongoing research focuses on safety, efficiency, and cost, with collaboration across chemistry, biology, materials science, and medicine to advance practical, patient-centered therapies.