Polyester Polymeric Nanoparticles as Platforms in the Development of Novel Nanomedicines for Cancer Treatment

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Despite the existence of powerful therapeutic agents, cancer is still an incurable disease in many clinical scenarios. In this regard, nanomedicine and particularly polymeric nanoparticles have raised attention as a manner to improved drug delivery. Polymeric nanoparticles can optimize existent compounds or be used to improve the formulation for novel therapeutics. In this article the advantages and disadvantages of polymeric nanoparticles will be discussed, and current nanodevices, raw materials for their formulation, methods of formulation, and polymeric nanoparticles in clinical investigations will be reviewed. Finally, options for improvement and clinical applications will be suggested. ABSTRACT: Many therapeutic agents have failed in their clinical development, due to the toxic effects associated with non-transformed tissues. In this context, nanotechnology has been exploited to overcome such limitations, and also improve navigation across biological barriers. Amongst the many materials used in nanomedicine, with promising properties as therapeutic carriers, the following one stands out: biodegradable and biocompatible polymers. Polymeric nanoparticles are ideal candidates for drug delivery, given the versatility of raw materials and their feasibility in large-scale production. Furthermore, polymeric nanoparticles show great potential for easy surface modifications to optimize pharmacokinetics, including the half-life in circulation and targeted tissue delivery. Herein, we provide an overview of the current applications of polymeric nanoparticles as platforms in the development of novel nanomedicines for cancer treatment. In particular, we will focus on the raw materials that are widely used for polymeric nanoparticle generation, current methods for formulation, mechanism of action, and clinical investigations.