TARGETED AND SITE-SPECIFIC DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: PRECISION STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMIZED THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY

Targeted and site-specific drug delivery systems (TSDDS) are a new paradigm of current pharmacotherapy, which is designed to take advantage of maximum pharmacotherapy effect, and the minimum of systemic toxicity. In contrast to traditional dosage delivery systems, TSDDS utilize physicochemical, molecular, and biological laws to preferentially target disease deposits or disease-targeting particular cells. This chapter discusses the basic working principles, classification and nanocarrier techniques, receptor-mediated strategies of targeted delivery. It also talks about interactions with the ligands and receptors, modulation of the tumor microenvironment, and the use of stimuli-responsive polymers to have spatiotemporal control. There is a focus on nanoparticle, liposomes, micelles, dendrimers, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) design. Current progresses in active and passive targeting, pharmacogenetics and clinical translation are discussed, colossal new bio-nanotechnologies and artificial-intelligence-assisted design tools are changing targeted therapeutics.