Personalized Nanomedicine: A Revolution at the Nanoscale

Abstract

Nanomedicine is an interdisciplinary research field that results from the application of nanotechnology to medicine and has the potential to significantly improve some current treatments. Specifically, in the field of personalized medicine, it is expected to have a great impact in the near future due to its multiple advantages, namely its versatility to adapt a drug to a cohort of patients. In the present review, the properties and requirements of pharmaceutical dosage forms at the nanoscale, so-called nanomedicines, are been highlighted. An overview of the main current nanomedicines in pre-clinical and clinical development is presented, detailing the challenges to the personalization of these therapies. Next, the process of development of novel nanomedicines is described, from their design in research labs to their arrival on the market, including considerations for the design of nanomedicines adapted to the requirements of the market to achieve safe, effective, and quality products. Finally, attention is given to the point of view of the pharmaceutical industry, including regulation issues applied to the specific case of personalized medicine. The authors expect this review to be a useful overview of the current state of the art of nanomedicine research and industrial production, and the future opportunities of personalized medicine in the upcoming years. The authors encourage the development and marketing of novel personalized nanomedicines.

Keywords: nanodrugs; nanomedicines market; nanosystems; nanotherapeutics; personalized nanomedicine; scale-up; stakeholders.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of a scale bar to visualize the range of nanomaterials and nanosystems as compared with biological components.

Figure 2

Schematic representation of different types of nanomedicines.

Figure 3

Plot representing the current nanomedicine world, where percentages correspond to literature available in 2017.

Figure 4

Schematic representation of the stakeholders involved in the translation of nanomedicines from the lab to the market and the most common challenges involved for each of them.

Figure 5

Schematic representation of the process of nanomedicine development over time. Modified from [7,8].

Figure 6

Schematic representation of the Quality by Design approach, recommended by the FDA for the development of novel nanomedicines. Adapted from [83].