Biodegradable Polymer Systems for Drug Delivery Applications
Summary
Biodegradable polymer systems have emerged as versatile carriers for the controlled and targeted administration of therapeutic agents. These materials degrade into benign by-products in physiological environments, minimising long-term accumulation and toxicity. Aliphatic polyesters such as polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid remain foundational owing to their established safety profiles and tunable hydrolytic rates. Poly(ester amide)s extend this platform by incorporating amide linkages that enhance mechanical strength and modulate degradation kinetics. Natural polymers, including polysaccharides and engineered polypeptides like elastin-like chains, introduce stimuli-responsive behaviour, allowing triggers such as pH, temperature or enzymatic activity to initiate drug release. Advances in polymer synthesis enable precise control of molecular weight, composition and architecture, yielding nanoparticles, micelles, hydrogels, nanofibres and vesicles. Surface modifications—PEGylation, ligand conjugation and cleavable linkers—further refine biodistribution and cellular uptake. These systems are applied across oncology, pulmonary medicine, central nervous system disorders and vaccine delivery, with inhalable dry powders, implantable depots and injectable formulations under active development. The integration of natural amino-acid motifs and modular polymer libraries is driving personalised therapies, while interdisciplinary collaboration in material science, biology and engineering accelerates clinical translation and global adoption.
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Biodegradable Polymer Systems for Drug Delivery Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biodegradable polymer systems for drug delivery applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biodegradable polymer: A polymer that undergoes hydrolytic or enzymatic degradation into non-toxic fragments under physiological conditions.
Nanoparticle: A sub-micrometre carrier, often 1–200 nm in diameter, used to encapsulate and deliver drugs to specific sites.
Stimuli-responsive: Characteristic of materials that alter structure or release cargo in response to environmental triggers such as pH, temperature or enzymes.
Poly(ester amide): A copolymer containing alternating ester and amide bonds, combining tunable degradation with enhanced mechanical strength.
Encapsulation: The process of entrapping a therapeutic agent within a polymer matrix or vesicle to control release and protect labile molecules.
Controlled release: The sustained or triggered discharge of a drug from a carrier over a defined period to maintain therapeutic levels.
References
- The construction of elastin-like polypeptides and their applications in drug delivery system and tissue repair. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2023).
- Impact of Poly(Ester Amide) Structure on Properties and Drug Delivery for Prostate Cancer Therapy. BME Frontiers (2023).
- Novel Thymoquinone Nanoparticles Using Poly(ester amide) Based on L-Arginine-Targeting Pulmonary Drug Delivery. Polymers (2022).
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