A Multifunctional Nanoplatform against Multidrug Resistant Cancer: Merging the Best of Targeted Chemo/Gene/Photothermal Therapy

Enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect is the physiology-based principal mechanism of tumor accumulation of large molecules and small particles. This specific issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews is summing up multiple data on the EPR effect-based drug design and clinical outcome. In this commentary, the role of the EPR effect in the intratumoral delivery of protein and peptide drugs, macromolecular drugs and drug-loaded long-circulating pharmaceutical nanocarriers is briefly discussed together with some additional opportunities for drug delivery arising from the initial EPR effect-mediated accumulation of drug-containing macromolecular systems in tumors. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In the past decade, non-invasive and biocompatible mesoporous silica materials as efficient drug delivery systems have attracted special attention. Great progress in structure control and functionalization (magnetism and luminescence) design has been achieved for biotechnological and biomedical applications. This review highlights the most recent research progress on silica-based controlled drug delivery systems, including: (i) pure mesoporous silica sustained-release systems, (ii) magnetism and/or luminescence functionalized mesoporous silica systems which integrate targeting and tracking abilities of drug molecules, and (iii) stimuli-responsive controlled release systems which are able to respond to environmental changes, such as pH, redox potential, temperature, photoirradiation, and biomolecules. Although encouraging and potential developments have been achieved, design and mass production of novel multifunctional carriers, some practical biological application, such as biodistribution, the acute and chronic toxicities, long-term stability, circulation properties and targeting efficacy in vivo are still challenging. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012