Polymer–Lipid Pharmaceutical Nanocarriers: Innovations by New Formulations and Production Technologies

• Main Authors: Sabrina Bochicchio, Gaetano Lamberti, Anna Angela Barba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Pharmaceutics
• Subjects: polymers; lipids; hybrid nanoparticles; nanotechnologies; production technologies; drug delivery
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/2/198

Some issues in pharmaceutical therapies such as instability, poor membrane permeability, and bioavailability of drugs can be solved by the design of suitable delivery systems based on the combination of two pillar classes of ingredients: polymers and lipids. At the same time, modern technologies are required to overcome production limitations (low productivity, high energy consumption, expensive setup, long process times) to pass at the industrial level. In this paper, a summary of applications of polymeric and lipid materials combined as nanostructures (hybrid nanocarriers) is reported. Then, recent techniques adopted in the production of hybrid nanoparticles are discussed, highlighting limitations still present that hold back the industrial implementation.