Nanomedicine and the complement paradigm

Abstract

The role of complement in idiosyncratic reactions to nanopharmaceutical infusion is receiving increasing attention. We discuss this in relation to nanopharmaceutical development and the possible use of complement inhibitors to prevent related adverse reactions. We further call on initiation of genetic association studies to unravel the genetic basis of nanomedicine infusion-related adverse responses, since most of the polymorphic genes in the genome belong to the immune system.

From the clinical editor: In this paper, idiosyncratic reactions based on complement activation are discussed in the context of newly available complement inhibitors.