The increased understanding of molecular aspects associated with chronic diseases, such as cancer and the role of tumor microenvironment, has led to the identification of endogenous and exogenous stimuli that can be exploited to devise “stimuli-responsive” materials for site-specific drug delivery applications. This book provides a comprehensive account on the design, materials chemistry, and application aspects behind these novel stimuli-responsive materials. Setting the scene, the editors open with a chapter addressing the need for smart materials in delivery applications for therapy, imaging and disease diagnosis. The following chapter describes the key physical and chemical aspects of smart materials, from lipids to polymers to hybrid materials, providing the reader with a springboard to delve into the more application oriented chapters that follow. With in-depth coverage of key drug delivery systems such as pH-responsive, temperature responsive, enzyme-responsive and light responsive systems, this book provides a rigorous foundation to the field. A perfect resource for graduate students and newcomers, the closing chapter on regulatory and commercialization challenges also makes the book ideal for those wanting to take the next step towards clinical translation.

Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug Delivery presents a comprehensive overview of the most significant physical and chemical stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems. This book reviews targeted and controlled drug delivery systems and how nanocarriers can be used to improve the pharmacokinetics of drugs in biological systems, such as increasing utilization rate and reducing toxicity and side effects. After a key introduction to the topic, a range of nanocarrier types is assessed before exploring the clinical translation challenges and considerations involved.This book is a useful resource for researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, pharmaceutical science, and medicinal chemistry. - Offers an in-depth look at the basic and fundamental aspects of stimuli-responsive materials, mechanisms, structure, synthesis and properties - Provides information about well-defined categorization for stimuli-responsive drug delivery system based on different triggering mechanisms to its reader - Reviews basic concepts and the latest research involving advances in stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems in controlled-release drugs - Discusses novel approaches and challenges for scaling-up and commercialization of stimuli-responsive polymers

Stimuli responsive drug delivery systems have emerged as one of the most innovative classes of polymer materials of modern materials science. The book offers a convincing approach to understanding the basic principles of drug delivery process, their mathematical modeling, different types of drug delivery systems, various polymer systems responsive to stimuli such as swelling, pH, temperature, light, chemical agents, electric and magnetic fields.

Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers: Recent Advances in Tailor-Made Therapeutics compiles dispersed knowledge into a complete and comprehensive source to help researchers understand and progress stimuli-responsive nanocarriers. The book contains recent advancements made in the field of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers with their application in controlled drug delivery against various diseases. It focuses on the design, mechanism, construction, therapeutic application and future challenges of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers which will help new researchers in designing next generation tailor-made advanced therapeutics. Finally, the book covers future aspects and challenges present in the route of development of stimuli responsive nanocarriers for disease therapeutics. Various recent advances and biomedical applications assembled in this book will guide scientists on how to design and develop novel controlled drug release systems. - Provides comprehensive knowledge of basic design, mechanism and construction of nanocarrier based stimuli-responsive drug releases - Explores various nanocarriers characteristically used in the development of stimuli-responsive drug release systems - Envisages future opportunities, challenges and implementation of nanocarrier based stimuli-responsive drug release systems in disease therapeutics

Stimuli Responsive Polymeric Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery Applications, Volume One: Types and Triggers discusses, in detail, the recent trends in designing biodegradable and biocompatible single-responsive polymers and nanoparticles for safe drug delivery. Focusing on the most advanced materials and technologies, evaluation methods, and advanced synthesis techniques stimuli-responsive polymers, the book is an essential reference for scientists with an interest in drug delivery vehicles. Sections focus on innovation, development and the increased global demand for biodegradable and biocompatible responsive polymers and nanoparticles for safe drug delivery. - Offers an in-depth look at the basic and fundamental aspects of alternative stimuli-responsive polymers, mechanisms, structure, synthesis and properties - Provides a well-defined categorization for stimuli-responsive polymers for drug delivery based on different triggering mechanisms - Discusses novel approaches and challenges for scaling up and commercialization of stimuli-responsive polymers

The concept of smart drug delivery vehicles involves designing and preparing a nanostructure (or microstructure) that can be loaded with a cargo. This can be a therapeutic drug, a contrast agent for imaging, or a nucleic acid for gene therapy. The nanocarrier serves to protect the cargo from degradation by enzymes in the body, to enhance the solubility of insoluble drugs, to extend the circulation half-life, and to enhance its penetration and accumulation at the target site. Importantly, smart nanocarriers can be designed to be responsive to a specific stimulus, so that the cargo is only released or activated when desired. In this volume we cover smart nanocarriers that respond to internal stimuli that are intrinsic to the target site. These stimuli are specific to the cell type, tissue or organ type, or to the disease state (cancer, infection, inflammation etc). pH-responsive nanostructures can be used for cargo release in acidic endosomal compartments, in the lower pH of tumors, and for specific oral delivery either to the stomach or intestine. Nanocarriers can be designed to be substrates of a wide-range of enzymes that are over-expressed at disease sites. Oxidation and reduction reactions can be taken advantage of in smart nanocarriers by judicious molecular design. Likewise, nanocarriers can be designed to respond to a range of specific biomolecules that may occur at the target site. In this volume we also cover dual and multi-responsive systems that combine stimuli that could be either internal or external.

The concept of smart drug delivery vehicles involves designing and preparing a nanostructure (or microstructure) that can be loaded with a cargo, this can be a therapeutic drug, a contrast agent for imaging, or a nucleic acid for gene therapy. The nanocarrier serves to protect the cargo from degradation by enzymes in the body, to enhance the solubility of insoluble drugs, to extend the circulation half-life, and to enhance its penetration and accumulation at the target site. Importantly, smart nanocarriers can be designed to be responsive to a specific stimulus, so that the cargo is only released or activated when desired. In this volume we cover smart nanocarriers that respond to externally applied stimuli that usually involve application of physical energy. This physical energy can be applied from outside the body and can either cause cargo release, or can activate the nanostructure to be cytotoxic, or both. The stimuli covered include light of various wavelengths (ultraviolet, visible or infrared), temperature (increased or decreased), magnetic fields (used to externally manipulate nanostructures and to activate them), ultrasound, and electrical and mechanical forces. Finally we discuss the issue of nanotoxicology and the future scope of the field.

The reader will be introduced to various aspects of the fundamentals of nanotechnology based drug delivery systems and the application of these systems for the delivery of small molecules, proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides and genes. How these systems overcome challenges offered by biological barriers to drug absorption and drug targeting will also be described.

Nanotechnology has the potential to change every part of our lives. Today, nanotechnology-based products are used in many areas, and one of the most important areas is drug delivery. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems not only provide controlled delivery of drugs and improved drug solubility but also improve drug efficiency and reduce side effects via targeting mechanisms. However, compared with conventional drug delivery systems, few nanoparticle-based products are on the market and almost all are nontargeted or only passively targeted systems. In addition, obtaining targeted nanoparticle systems is quite complex and requires several evaluation mechanisms. This book discusses the production, characterization, regulation, and currently marketed targeted nanoparticle systems in a broad framework. It provides an overview of targeted nanoparticles’ (i) in vitro characterization, such as particle size, stability, ligand density, and type; (ii) in vivo behavior for different targeting areas, such as tumor, brain, and vagina; and (iii) current advances in this field, including clinical trials and regulation processes.