Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy
Summary
Polymer-based drug delivery systems harness synthetic or natural macromolecules to transport anticancer agents with improved pharmacokinetics, reduced systemic toxicity and enhanced tumour selectivity. These carriers range from linear and branched polymers to star-shaped architectures and supramolecular assemblies. Key strategies include passive targeting via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, active targeting using ligands or antibodies, and stimuli-responsive release triggered by pH, enzymes or redox conditions. Biodegradable backbones such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), poly(ethylene glycol) grafts and peptide-based polymers offer controlled degradation and safe excretion. Polymer–drug conjugates and prodrugs enhance solubility and stability of cytotoxic molecules, while nanoparticle formulations enable co-delivery of therapeutics and diagnostics (theranostics). Recent advances focus on modular polymerisation methods to tune circulation half-life, on architecture-driven biodistribution and on supramolecular tools to reorganise cell-surface receptors. Collectively, these innovations promise to overcome multidrug resistance, optimise dosing schedules and facilitate image-guided interventions, underscoring the global significance of polymeric platforms in precision oncology.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent work has introduced complementary polymeric nanothreads that assemble into coiled-coil networks at the cancer cell surface to cluster chemokine receptors. This supramolecular strategy synchronises receptor mechano-transduction pathways, disrupting metastatic signalling and reversing local immunosuppression. In metastatic breast cancer models, the nanothread platform, when combined with photodynamic immunotherapy, significantly reduced metastatic burden. Its modular design offers a general tool for spatial control of receptor landscapes, improving the efficacy of receptor-targeted polymer therapeutics.
Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in polymer-based drug delivery systems for cancer therapy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect: Passive accumulation of macromolecules in tumour tissue due to leaky vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage.
Stimuli-responsive polymer: Polymer that undergoes chemical or structural change in response to environmental triggers such as pH, enzymes or redox conditions.
Hydrazone bond: Acid-labile linker used to attach drugs to polymers, enabling controlled release in the acidic tumour microenvironment.
Passive targeting: Delivery strategy exploiting the EPR effect to direct polymeric carriers to tumours without specific binding ligands.
Active targeting: Use of tumour-specific ligands or antibodies on polymer surfaces to bind cell receptors and enhance cellular uptake.
References
- Cell surface patching via CXCR4-targeted nanothreads for cancer metastasis inhibition. Nature Communications (2024).
- Adaptable polymerization platform for therapeutics with tunable biodegradability. Acta Biomaterialia (2023).
- Stimuli‐Responsive Polymer Nanoprobes Intended for Fluorescence‐Guided Surgery of Malignant Head‐and‐Neck Tumors and Metastases. Advanced Healthcare Materials (2023).
- Effects of Polymer 3D Architecture, Size, and Chemistry on Biological Transport and Drug Delivery In Vitro and in Orthotopic Triple Negative Breast Cancer Models. Advanced Healthcare Materials (2020).
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