International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Allied Science

ISSN: 2583-6544   |  Issues per year: Monthly  |   Indexed In: Google Scholar, CORE, ScienceOpen, Researchgate

ISSN:2583-6544

Abstract View

Emerging Mechanistic Insights Into Targeted Nanocarrier-Mediated Cancer Drug Delivery: Challenges, Innovations, And Translational Perspectives

Author(s): Hemanta Dey11, Gargi Debnath22, Ashit Dey23, Souvik Bose14, Soumen Dey15, Anuska Chatterjee1*6

Email(s): 1anuskachat0609@gmail.com

Address:

    1 Department of Pharmacy, Sanaka Educational Trust’s Group of Institutions, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal, India 2 M R College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal, India

Published In:   Volume - 4,      Issue - 11,     Year - 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.41107  

 View HTML        View PDF

Please allow Pop-Up for this website to view PDF file.

ABSTRACT:
Inadequate drug absorption, poor tumor selectivity, and the widespread emergence of chemoresistance are some of the ongoing issues facing modern cancer treatments. A paradigm change, targeted nanocarrier technologies allow for regulated release and site-specific drug accumulation while reducing systemic toxicity. The current mechanistic understanding of advanced nanocarrier platforms is summarized in this review, which explains how active targeting uses ligand-receptor interactions to promote receptor-mediated cellular internalization, while passive targeting takes advantage of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) phenomenon. In addition to biomimetic and immune cell-derived nanocarriers that exhibit superior biocompatibility and immune evasion, we look at current developments in stimuli-responsive nanosystems, such as pH-sensitive, redox-responsive, and externally-triggered platforms. Multifunctional theranostic systems that combine therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities are given special attention for applications in precision medicine. There includes a full discussion of mechanistic insights into drug release kinetics, intracellular trafficking pathways, and nanocarrier interactions with the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, we highlight new technologies including programmable and self-assembling nanocarrier platforms while addressing important translational challenges like immunological clearance, manufacturing scalability, regulatory complexity, and unfavorable bioaccumulation. The synergistic efficacy of integration with modern therapeutic methods, such as immunotherapy, gene editing, and combination chemotherapy, is assessed. In addition to identifying critical tactics to close the translational gap between preclinical innovation and clinical implementation, this thorough analysis establishes the fundamental mechanisms underlying next-generation nanomedicines, ultimately advancing accessible, individualized cancer therapies.

Keywords:

Cite this article:
Hemanta Dey, Gargi Debnath, Ashit Dey, Souvik Bose, Soumen Dey, Anuska Chatterjee. Emerging Mechanistic Insights Into Targeted Nanocarrier-Mediated Cancer Drug Delivery: Challenges, Innovations, And Translational Perspectives. IJRPAS, November 2025; 4(11): 67-79.DOI: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.41107


1.      Sylla BS, Wild CP. A million africans a year dying from cancer by 2030: what can cancer research and control offer to the continent? International journal of cancer. 2012 Jan 15;130(2):245-50.

2.      Lunenfeld B, Stratton P. The clinical consequences of an ageing world and preventive strategies. Best practice & research Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology. 2013 Oct 1;27(5):643-59.

3.      Shams M, Abdallah S, Alsadoun L, Hamid YH, Gasim R, Hassan A. Oncological horizons: The synergy of medical and surgical innovations in cancer treatment. Cureus. 2023 Nov 22;15(11):e49249.

4.      Vasan N, Baselga J, Hyman DM. A view on drug resistance in cancer. Nature. 2019 Nov 14;575(7782):299-309.

5.      Baldo BA, Pham NH. Adverse reactions to targeted and non-targeted chemotherapeutic drugs with emphasis on hypersensitivity responses and the invasive metastatic switch. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews. 2013 Dec;32(3):723-61.

6.      Roberts DM, Buckley NA. Pharmacokinetic considerations in clinical toxicology: clinical applications. Clinical pharmacokinetics. 2007 Nov;46(11):897-939.

7.      Kazdin AE. Evidence-based treatment research: Advances, limitations, and next steps. American Psychologist. 2011 Nov;66(8):685.

8.      Chakraborty T, Saini V, Govila D and Singh G “Four most life threatening urogenital cancer and its management” International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 2018, 9(8): 3166-3174.

9.      Dewhirst MW, Secomb TW. Transport of drugs from blood vessels to tumour tissue. Nature Reviews Cancer. 2017 Dec;17(12):738-50.

10.  Heffernan AJ, Sime FB, Lipman J, Roberts JA. Individualising therapy to minimize bacterial multidrug resistance. Drugs. 2018 Apr;78(6):621-41.

11.  Avner BS, Fialho AM, Chakrabarty AM. Overcoming drug resistance in multi-drug resistant cancers and microorganisms: a conceptual framework. Bioengineered. 2012 Sep 18;3(5):262-70.

12.  Senapati S, Mahanta AK, Kumar S, Maiti P. Controlled drug delivery vehicles for cancer treatment and their performance. Signal transduction and targeted therapy. 2018 Mar 16;3(1):7.

13.  Mallick MA, Chakraborty T et.al “Schematic diagrammatic preparation methods of polymeric nanoparticles for biomedical applications in recent and future prospects” European Chemical Bulletin , 2023,12(10):1721-1733

14.  Khan T, Qureshi ZN, Niazi A, Ejaz M, Khan K. Biomarkers emerging in nanotheranostics and precision medicine. InNanotheranostics and Precision Oncology 2026 Jan 1 (pp. 609-634). Academic Press.

15.  Sandbhor P, Palkar P, Bhat S, John G, Goda JS. Nanomedicine as a multimodal therapeutic paradigm against cancer: on the way forward in advancing precision therapy. Nanoscale. 2024;16(13):6330-64.

16.  Edis Z, Wang J, Waqas MK, Ijaz M, Ijaz M. Nanocarriers-mediated drug delivery systems for anticancer agents: an overview and perspectives. International journal of nanomedicine. 2021 Feb 17:1313-30.

17.  Coccia M, Finardi U. Emerging nanotechnological research for future pathways of biomedicine. International Journal of Biomedical nanoscience and nanotechnology. 2012 Jan 1;2(3-4):299-317.

18.  Wu T, Dai Y. Tumor microenvironment and therapeutic response. Cancer letters. 2017 Feb 28;387:61-8.

19.  Huang Q, Tong F, Chen J, Kayumov M, Lv Y, Shi Y, Ye B, Gao H. Tumor Microenvironment‐Responsive Nanomedicines for Potentiating Cancer Immunotherapy. Advanced Science. 2025:e13567.

20.  Chakraborty T, Saini V, Singh G , Govila D and Pandurangan A “Causes and Management of Major Microbial Infections in Upper Sensory Organs of the Body” International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 2018, 48(1):43-51.

21.  Alonso MJ. Nanomedicines for overcoming biological barriers. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2004 Apr 1;58(3):168-72.

22.  Engin AB, Nikitovic D, Neagu M, Henrich-Noack P, Docea AO, Shtilman MI, Golokhvast K, Tsatsakis AM. Mechanistic understanding of nanoparticles’ interactions with extracellular matrix: the cell and immune system. Particle and fibre toxicology. 2017 Jun 24;14(1):22.

23.  Subhan MA, Yalamarty SS, Filipczak N, Parveen F, Torchilin VP. Recent advances in tumor targeting via EPR effect for cancer treatment. Journal of personalized medicine. 2021 Jun 18;11(6):571.

24.  Sharifi M, Cho WC, Ansariesfahani A, Tarharoudi R, Malekisarvar H, Sari S, Bloukh SH, Edis Z, Amin M, Gleghorn JP, Hagen TL. An updated review on EPR-based solid tumor targeting nanocarriers for cancer treatment. Cancers. 2022 Jun 10;14(12):2868.

25.  Srinivasarao M, Galliford CV, Low PS. Principles in the design of ligand-targeted cancer therapeutics and imaging agents. Nature reviews Drug discovery. 2015 Mar;14(3):203-19.

26.  Chakraborty T, Saini V, Narwal P, Gupta S “Formulation and evaluation of both stomach and Intestine drug delivery system from unit solid dosage tablet formulation” World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2015:4(10): 1377-1392.

27.  Desai N, Rana D, Salave S, Benival D, Khunt D, Prajapati BG. Achieving endo/lysosomal escape using smart nanosystems for efficient cellular delivery. Molecules. 2024 Jul 1;29(13):3131.

28.  Varkouhi AK, Scholte M, Storm G, Haisma HJ. Endosomal escape pathways for delivery of biologicals. Journal of Controlled Release. 2011 May 10;151(3):220-8.

29.  Sen S, Xavier J, Kumar N, Ahmad MZ, Ranjan OP. Exosomes as natural nanocarrier-based drug delivery system: recent insights and future perspectives. 3 Biotech. 2023 Mar;13(3):101.

30.  Gangadaran P, Madhyastha H, Madhyastha R, Rajendran RL, Nakajima Y, Watanabe N, Velikkakath AK, Hong CM, Gopi RV, Muthukalianan GK, Valsala Gopalakrishnan A. The emerging role of exosomes in innate immunity, diagnosis and therapy. Frontiers in Immunology. 2023 Jan 16;13:1085057.

31.  Seidi F, Jenjob R, Crespy D. Designing smart polymer conjugates for controlled release of payloads. Chemical reviews. 2018 Mar 13;118(7):3965-4036.

32.  Chakraborty T, Gupta S, Saini V. In vivo Study of Insulin-loaded Microemulsion Topical gel with Aloe vera for the Treatment of Dermatologic Manifestation of Diabetes. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2020;13(9):4115-4124

33.  Pucci C, Degl'Innocenti A, Gümüş MB, Ciofani G. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia: Recent advancements, molecular effects, and future directions in the omics era. Biomaterials Science. 2022;10(9):2103-21.

34.  Xue VW, Wong SC, Song G, Cho WC. Promising RNA-based cancer gene therapy using extracellular vesicles for drug delivery. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 2020 Jul 2;20(7):767-77.

35.  Caldorera-Moore ME, Liechty WB, Peppas NA. Responsive theranostic systems: integration of diagnostic imaging agents and responsive controlled release drug delivery carriers. Accounts of chemical research. 2011 Oct 18;44(10):1061-70.

36.  Guo F, Du Y, Wang Y, Wang M, Wang L, Yu N, Luo S, Wu F, Yang G. Targeted drug delivery systems for matrix metalloproteinase-responsive a noparticles in tumor cells: a review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2024 Feb 1;257:128658

37.  Saini P, Chakraborty T, Jain A, Chaudhary J, Saini V “Comparative Study of Resins in the Formulation of Taste Masked Suspension of Erythromycin” Int. J.Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res.,2013,  22(1): 257-263

38.  Raza A, Rasheed T, Nabeel F, Hayat U, Bilal M, Iqbal HM. Endogenous and exogenous stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems for programmed site-specific release. Molecules. 2019 Mar 21;24(6):1117.

39.  Jones SJ, Taylor AF, Beales PA. Towards feedback-controlled nanomedicines for smart, adaptive delivery. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2019 Mar;244(4):283-93.

40.  Sharma A, Chakraborty T, Gupta S, Sharma A, Pahari PK, Biomarkers: An Important Tool for Diagnosing and Treating Breast Cancer, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2020, 32(12): 46-54.

41.  Wahane A, Waghmode A, Kapphahn A, Dhuri K, Gupta A, Bahal R. Role of lipid-based and polymer-based non-viral vectors in nucleic acid delivery for next-generation gene therapy. Molecules. 2020 Jun 22;25(12):2866.

42.  Perrigue PM, Murray RA, Mielcarek A, Henschke A, Moya SE. Degradation of drug delivery nanocarriers and payload release: A review of physical methods for tracing nanocarrier biological fate. Pharmaceutics. 2021 May 21;13(6):770.

43.  Dennis JM. Precision medicine in type 2 diabetes: using individualized prediction models to optimize selection of treatment. Diabetes. 2020 Oct 1;69(10):2075-85.

44.  Mehta P, Shende P. Evasion of opsonization of macromolecules using novel surface‐modification and biological‐camouflage‐mediated techniques for next‐generation drug delivery. Cell Biochemistry and Function. 2023 Dec;41(8):1031-43.

45.  Chakraborty T, Natasha, Saini V, Ruby “Formulation and evaluation of controlled release floating tablets of cefixime using hydrophilic polymers” International Research Journal of Pharmacy, 2019, 10 (1): 171-175.

46.  Kabir M, Rana MR, Debnath A. The Role of Quality Assurance in Accelerating Pharmaceutical Research and Development: Strategies for Ensuring Regulatory Compliance and Product Integrity. Integrative Biomedical Research. 2024 Dec 8;8(12):1-1.

47.  Sharma M, Grover M, Suryavanshi SJ, Sharma N, Shukla VK. Comparative Review of Clinical Trial Regulations in Different Countries: Current Scenario and Future Prospect. Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. 2025.

48.  Von Braun J, Brown MA. Ethical questions of equitable worldwide food production systems. Plant physiology. 2003 Nov 1;133(3):1040-5.

49.  Li C, Ma L, Xue Z, Li X, Zhu S, Wang T. Pushing the Frontiers: Artificial Intelligence (AI)‐Guided Programmable Concepts in Binary Self‐Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles. Advanced Science. 2025 Apr 26:2501000.

50.  Das KP. Nanoparticles and convergence of artificial intelligence for targeted drug delivery for cancer therapy: Current progress and challenges. Frontiers in Medical Technology. 2023 Jan 6;4:1067144 .

51.  Bawa S, Yasmin S, Saini V, Chakraborty T, Chaudhaery SS, Ansari MY, “Treatment and Management of Hypertension by Targeting ACE Inhibitors: in silico Approach” International Journal of Bioautomation, 2019, 23(1): 13-28.

52.  Ciardiello F, Arnold D, Casali PG, Cervantes A, Douillard JY, Eggermont A, Eniu A, McGregor K, Peters S, Piccart M, Popescu R. Delivering precision medicine in oncology today and in future—the promise and challenges of personalised cancer medicine: a position paper by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). Annals of Oncology. 2014 Sep 1;25(9):1673-8.

53.  Edis Z, Wang J, Waqas MK, Ijaz M, Ijaz M. Nanocarriers-mediated drug delivery systems for anticancer agents: an overview and perspectives. International journal of nanomedicine. 2021 Feb 17:1313-30.

54.  Abdellatif AA, Mohammed HA, Khan RA, Singh V, Bouazzaoui A, Yusuf M, Akhtar N, Khan M, Al-Subaiyel A, Mohammed SA, Al-Omar MS. Nano-scale delivery: A comprehensive review of nano-structured devices, preparative techniques, site-specificity designs, biomedical applications, commercial products, and references to safety, cellular uptake, and organ toxicity. Nanotechnology Reviews. 2021 Oct 21;10(1):1493-559.

55.  Chakraborty T, Saini V, Sharma S, Kaur B, Dhingra G “Antifungal gel; for different routes of administration and different drug delivery system” International Journal of Biopharmaceutics, 2014, 5(3): 230-240

56.  Zhou L, Li K, Liu Y, Zhang R, Yao Y, Chen Q, Xie D, Zhang X. Living cell‐derived intelligent nanobots for precision oncotherapy. Advanced Functional Materials. 2024 Mar;34(10):2311857.

57.  Wu Q, Yao X, Duan X, Chen X, Zhang J. Nanomedicine Reimagined: Translational Strategies for Precision Tumor Theranostics. Advanced Materials. 2025 Sep 6:e10293.

58.  Wen F, Wang L, Li X, Zhao J, Xu T, Zhu J, Ma L, Wang X. Precision Nanomedicine for Cancer: Innovations, Strategies, and Translational Challenges. OncoTargets and Therapy. 2025 Dec 31:1125-48.      

Related Images:



Recent Images



Neurological Complications among Pregnant and Post Partum Mothers in a Private Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Review on Regulatory Affairs in Pharmaceutical Industry
Cucumber and Mint Soap: Preparation and Evaluation
Topical Delivery in Cosmetics: Enhancing Penetration and Bioavailability
Formulation and Evaluation of Polyherbal Soap
Gelatin: A Widely Used Pharmaceutical Excipient
Therapeutic insights into Saroglitazar: a dual PPAR- α/γ agonist targeting diabetic dyslipidaemia and NAFLD
A Comprehensive Review on Dyslipidemia and Obesity: Pathophysiology, Clinical Implications and Management Approaches
Antidiabetic Herbs and Polyherbal Antidiabetic Formulations –An Overview
Review on Clinical Research and Clinical Trials

Tags


Quick Links


Latest Issues

Popular Articles