Nanomedicine is an evolving field at the intersection of nanotechnology and medicine. It is focused on transforming healthcare by utilizing nanoscale materials and devices. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have enabled its application in drug delivery, diagnostics, imaging, and therapy.1
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What Is Nanomedicine?
Nanomedicine involves the use of materials engineered at the 1–100 nm scale for healthcare and medical applications. The fundamental advantage of working at this scale is the ability to manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular levels, resulting in enhanced biological interactions, improved therapeutic efficacy, and reduced side effects.2
The nanoscale properties of materials used in nanomedicine enable unique physical, chemical, and biological behaviors not observed in their bulk forms. For instance, nanoparticles can easily penetrate biological barriers like cell membranes, making them ideal for drug delivery.2
Nanoparticles can also be designed to interact with specific cells or tissues, improving the precision and efficiency of medical treatments. In addition to drug delivery, nanotechnology in medicine includes nanoscale diagnostic tools that allow for earlier disease detection with enhanced sensitivity.
Applications of Nanomedicine
Drug Delivery
One of the most well-established applications of nanomedicine is drug delivery. Traditional drug delivery systems often face challenges such as poor solubility, rapid degradation, or nonspecific distribution within the body, leading to side effects and reduced efficacy.3 Nanoparticles can be engineered to overcome these issues by enhancing the bioavailability and stability of therapeutic agents.
For example, Paclitaxel, a drug from the taxane class, exhibits potential anti-cancer effects by inhibiting the disassembly of free tubulin microtubules. Taxol®, a formulation of Paclitaxel, contains a mixture of polyoxyethylated castor oil and dehydrated alcohol.4 However, the required dosages often trigger acute allergic reactions, primarily due to the presence of non-ionic surfactant in the formulation.
Genexol-PM, developed by Samyang Co., is a less toxic version of Paclitaxel, formulated as 25-nm micelles composed of PEG and PLA. It is produced by dissolving the block copolymer and drug in acetonitrile, evaporating the solvent, and dissolving the resulting gel in preheated water to form paclitaxel-filled micelles. Genexol-PM is approved for treating breast, lung, and ovarian cancers and is being clinically evaluated for other cancers.5
Diagnostics
Nanomedicine also has a role in diagnostics, facilitating earlier and more precise disease detection. Nanoscale diagnostic tools provide enhanced sensitivity and specificity compared to conventional diagnostic techniques.6
Quantum dots, for instance, are semiconductor nanocrystals that emit light when exposed to UV radiation. When conjugated with biomolecules such as antibodies, they can specifically target and detect proteins or cells, making them highly useful for cancer diagnostics. Their adjustable fluorescence properties enable multiplexed detection, allowing for the identification of multiple biomarkers in a single sample.6
Gold nanoparticles can also be functionalized with specific molecules to target disease markers and are often used in biosensors to detect viruses, bacteria, and even toxins.7 For instance, lateral flow assays, such as home pregnancy tests, use gold nanoparticles to produce a visible signal when a target molecule is present.8
Medical Imaging
Nanotechnology enhances medical imaging by providing contrast agents with higher resolution and greater specificity. Nanoparticles are being utilized across various imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET).
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are an example of a nanomaterial used in MRI. Acting as contrast agents, SPIONs enhance tissue visualization and help detect abnormalities like tumors and inflammation.9 Their magnetic properties enable better contrast between tissues, allowing for more precise imaging.
Lanthanide-based nanoparticles are being investigated for multimodal imaging, where a single nanoparticle can be detected using multiple imaging techniques, offering comprehensive diagnostic insights.10 This approach could provide clinicians with a deeper understanding of a patient's condition, leading to more informed and effective treatment decisions.
Nanomedicine: Advantages and Disadvantages
Recent Advances and Future Trends
One of the most exciting developments in nanomedicine is the creation of nanorobots—microscopic machines designed to perform tasks at the cellular level. Although still largely in the experimental phase, these nanorobots have demonstrated potential in various applications, including targeted drug delivery, tissue repair, and removing harmful substances from the bloodstream.11
In cancer treatment, for example, nanorobots could be programmed to navigate the bloodstream, seek out tumor cells, and release therapeutic agents directly into the cancerous tissue.11 This approach could increase treatment efficacy while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Nanomaterials are also being utilized to develop scaffolds that replicate the extracellular matrix, encouraging stem cells to grow and differentiate into targeted tissue types. For instance, nanofiber scaffolds based on the extracellular matrix are being studied for their potential to repair nerve damage by directing the growth of new neurons.12
As nanomedicine advances, one key trend is its integration with personalized medicine, which tailors treatments to individuals based on their unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Nanomedicine enhances binding affinity, bioavailability, and compatibility while enabling controlled drug release, ensuring treatments are precisely targeted to the right patient at the right time. This approach is expected to significantly improve the precision and effectiveness of medical treatments.13
Another emerging trend is the development of nano-enabled therapies, which use nanomaterials to enhance the efficacy of existing treatments or create entirely new therapeutic approaches.14 For instance, nano-enabled immunotherapies are being explored for their potential to boost the body’s immune response to cancer cells, while nanomaterials are being investigated for improving the delivery of gene therapies.14
As research and development continue, nanomedicine promises to transform how diseases are diagnosed, treated, and even prevented.
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References and Further Reading
1. Pourmadadi, M. et al. (2023). Innovative nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis, imaging, and therapy: Drug delivery applications. J. Drug Deliv. Sci. Technol. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1773224723002095
2. Ahmad, A., et al. (2021). Introduction to nanomedicine an overview. in Micro and Nano Technologies. Nanomedicine Manufacturing and Applications. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128207734000019
3. Wang, Q., Atluri, K., Tiwari, AK. Babu, RJ. (2023). Exploring the Application of Micellar Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Nanomedicine. Pharmaceuticals. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/16/3/433
4. Yang, CPH. Horwitz, SB. (2017). Taxol®: The First Microtubule Stabilizing Agent. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5578123/
5. Fan, Z., et al. (2015). Adding Vitamin E-TPGS to the Formulation of Genexol-PM: Specially Mixed Micelles Improve Drug-Loading Ability and Cytotoxicity against Multidrug-Resistant Tumors Significantly. PLoS One. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382049/
6. Xie, X. (2023). Application of Nanomedicine in Diagnostic Technology. Highlights Sci. Eng. Technol. https://drpress.org/ojs/index.php/HSET/article/view/6577
7. Oliveira, BB., Ferreira, D., Fernandes, AR. Baptista, PV. (2023). Engineering gold nanoparticles for molecular diagnostics and biosensing. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Nanomedicine Nanobiotechnology. https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/wnan.1836
8. Gumus, E., Bingol, H. Zor, E. (2023). Lateral flow assays for detection of disease biomarkers. J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36586382/
9. Vangijzegem, T. et al. (2023). Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION): from fundamentals to state-of-the-art innovative applications for cancer therapy. Pharmaceutics. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36678868/
10. Liu, N. et al. (2023). Core–multi-shell design: unlocking multimodal capabilities in lanthanide-based nanoparticles as upconverting, T 2-weighted MRI and CT probes. Nanoscale. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/nr/d3nr05380f
11. Zhang, H. et al. (2024). Review of the applications of micro/nanorobots in biomedicine. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsanm.4c02182
12. Ahmadian, E., Eftekhari, A., Janas, D., Vahedi, P. (2023). Nanofiber scaffolds based on extracellular matrix for articular cartilage engineering: A perspective. Nanotheranostics. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36593799/
13. Alghamdi, MA. et al. (2022). The Promise of Nanotechnology in Personalized Medicine. Journal of Personalized Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9142986/
14. Rasool, M. et al. (2022). New challenges in the use of nanomedicine in cancer therapy. Bioengineered. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8805951/
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