Nanocarriers, a New Frontier in Drug Delivery
Recently, the field of nanomedicine has seen significant advancements in drug delivery systems, overcoming the limitations of traditional pharmacotherapy. Among these systems, peptide-based nanocarriers stand out due to their high biocompatibility, molecular specificity, and structural diversity, making them suitable for precision targeting. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current progress in the design, manufacture, and therapeutic application of peptide-based nanocarriers. By examining literature from 2016 to 2025, we discuss peptide integration strategies, nanocarrier platforms, and recent innovations. The use of cyclic and stapled peptides has improved structural stability, target affinity, and bioavailability. This study provides mechanistic insights into peptide-mediated targeting and physicochemical optimization, highlighting the value of peptide-based nanocarriers in various therapeutic contexts. These findings are expected to contribute significantly to the development of drug delivery systems and represent a new frontier in the field of nanomedicine.
The advancement of nanomedicine has significantly reshaped drug delivery strategies by overcoming key limitations of conventional pharmacotherapy, such as off-target toxicity, poor bioavailability, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Among emerging delivery platforms, peptide-based nanocarriers offer high biocompatibility, molecular specificity, and structural versatility for precision targeting. This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of current progress in the design, fabrication, and therapeutic application of peptide-functionalized nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery. Literature published between 2016 and 2025 was examined, with particular focus on strategies for peptide incorporation, including physical encapsulation, chemical conjugation, and self-assembly. Diverse nanocarrier platforms are discussed, including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), dendrimers, polymeric micelles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), and hybrid systems. Recent innovations in biodegradable polymers, co-delivery platforms, multifunctional assemblies, and stimuli-responsive formulations are highlighted. Advances in peptide design, particularly the use of cyclic and stapled peptides, have improved structural stability, target affinity, and bioavailability. Mechanistic insights into peptide-mediated targeting and physicochemical optimization are reviewed across various therapeutic contexts, including cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Their role in gene delivery applications, such as siRNA, mRNA, and CRISPR-Cas9 cargo delivery, is also highlighted, emphasizing the potential of peptide-functionalized systems in enabling safe and targeted nucleic acid therapeutics. Looking ahead, the development of intelligent nanocarriers capable of responding to physiological stimuli, such as pH shifts, enzymatic activity, and redox gradients, will enable spatiotemporal control of drug release. Progress in peptidomimetics and synthetic biology is expected to further enhance the therapeutic potential of peptide-based nanocarriers, ultimately leading to the creation of personalized and precision medicine approaches.
This study is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of drug delivery systems in the field of nanomedicine. Peptide-based nanocarriers enable targeted drug delivery, providing more effective and safer treatments for patients. Furthermore, this research represents a new frontier in nanomedicine, offering new possibilities for the treatment of various diseases.