Clinical translation and landscape of copper nanoparticles

Although the medical use of copper dates back millennia and medicines based on copper nanoparticles have been employed for over a century, their benefits are still often questioned. Over the past three decades, advances in nanotechnology have renewed interest in copper-based nanoformulations for healthcare. While most preclinical studies have focused on systemically administered copper nanomedicines for a broad range of therapeutic purposes, clinical trials remain scarce and are primarily centered on topical applications, where long-term off-target accumulation can be minimized to mitigate safety concerns. Despite exhibiting only moderate antiseptic activity compared with other inorganic nanomaterials, copper nanoparticles demonstrate significant wound healing potential through complex mechanisms involving angiogenesis promotion and stabilization of extracellular skin proteins. In this work, we discuss the current landscape of copper nanoparticles (and related microparticulate structures), and we thoroughly analyze the characteristics that have enabled their translation and use in clinical settings.