Dendrimer nanohybrid carrier systems: an expanding horizon for targeted drug and gene delivery

• Published in: Drug discovery today Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 300 - 314
• Main Authors: Kesharwani, Prashant, Gothwal, Avinash, Iyer, Arun K., Jain, Keerti, Chourasia, Manish K., Gupta, Umesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2018
• Subjects: Dendrimers - chemistry; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; Gene Transfer Techniques; Genetic Therapy - methods; Humans; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Pharmaceutical Preparations - chemistry
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2017.06.009

•Dendrimer-based hybrid systems are an emerging platform in the field of drug delivery.•Hybrid nanomaterials are an important strategy in the field of nanomedicine.•Hybrids could be used as a novel drug delivery system for several biomedical applications. Highly controllable dendritic structural design means dendrimers are a leading carrier in drug delivery applications. Dendrimer- and other nanocarrier-based hybrid systems are an emerging platform in the field of drug delivery. This review is a compilation of increasing reports of dendrimer interactions, such as dendrimer–liposome, dendrimer–carbon-nanotube, among others, known as hybrid carriers. This should prompt entirely new research with promising results for these hybrid carriers. It is assumed that such emerging hybrid nanosystems – from combining two already-established drug delivery platforms – could lead the way for the development of newer delivery systems with multiple applicability for latent theranostic applications in the future. Dendrimer hybrid carriers paving the way for the future design of a highly effective multifunctional drug delivery system.