Nanomedicine and Biologics

Biologics are difficult to administer because, in addition to failing to meet Lipinski's 'rule of five' criterion, the large molecules tend to be unstable in vitro, necessitating extra caution in formulation to avoid aggregation, and in vivo due to chemical and enzymatic degradation. One of the most difficult aspects of many biologics medications is getting them over the cell membrane to their intracellular target while avoiding intracellular breakdown processes. Nanomedicines, or nanosized drug delivery systems, are one technique for improving biologic drug delivery. They are divided into four categories: (i) nanoparticles (e.g., liposomes), (ii) drug-conjugates (e.g., antibody-drug conjugates, polymer-drug conjugates, where the active molecule is chemically coupled to the delivery systems), (iii) protein-polymer conjugates, and (iv) mixtures thereof. Although nanomedicine has shown promise in the administration of oral biologics, the field is very young, and technologies have not yet reached the clinic.

• Oral Delivery
• Biologic Drug Development
• Nanotechnology
• Nanotoxicology