Targeted Drug Delivery: From Chemistry to Robotics at Small Scales
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Author / Producer
Date
2025-05
Publication Type
Review Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
The limited bioavailability, susceptibility to degradation, and adverse side effects of novel drugs often hinder their effective administration. Nanoparticles, with customizable properties and small size, have emerged as potential carriers, though their delivery efficiency remains low. With their ability to navigate fluid environments, micro- and nanorobots offer promising solutions to improve the delivery and retention of drugs at targeted tissues. The design and composition of these motile devices, often inspired by natural locomotion mechanisms, are currently being refined for improved biocompatibility, adaptability, and collective task performance. Recent research has focused on loading these devices with therapeutic agents and evaluating their efficacy in living organisms. While chemotherapy has been predominant, micro- and nanorobots also show significant potential for biological and physical therapies, and hybrid methods combining multiple therapies have demonstrated synergistic benefits. This review identifies major challenges, including the need for application-specific solutions, standardized performance evaluation methods, and the integration of engineering with pharmacology.
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Publication status
published
Editor
Book title
Volume
8
Pages / Article No.
379 - 405
Publisher
Annual Reviews
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Targeted drug delivery; Actively motile micro- and nanodevices; Micro- and nanorobots; Targeted therapy
Organisational unit
03627 - Nelson, Bradley J. / Nelson, Bradley J.
08705 - Gruppe Pané Vidal
Notes
Funding
952152 - MAgnetically steerable wireless Nanodevices for the tarGeted delivery of therapeutic agents in any vascular rEgion of the body (EC)
197017 - Flexible Electronics meets µ-Robotics: Route for Augmented Bio-Intelligent Medical Treatments (SNF)
197017 - Flexible Electronics meets µ-Robotics: Route for Augmented Bio-Intelligent Medical Treatments (SNF)