Recent Developments in Polymer‐Derived Nanomaterials: Advanced Strategies for Drug Delivery and Therapy

ABSTRACT Polymer‐based nanomaterials have developed to be promising materials in recent drug delivery, and several kinds of therapeutic applications have been attributed to their controlled physicochemical properties, multiform structure and excellent biocompatibility. The recent development of polymer chemistry, nanofabrication processes, and molecular mechanics now makes it feasible that by designing more complex nanocarriers, we should be able to overcome some crucial biological barriers in cancer treatment as well as improve drug stability and site‐directed targeting. Recent progress in the development of polymeric nanomaterials, which include polymer nanoparticles (NP), micelles, dendrimers, nanogels, and polymersomes as well as their hybrids with inorganic NPs, is reviewed with emphasis on the controlled and stimuli‐responsive drug delivery. Also presented are innovative methodologies such as surface functionalization, ligand targeting, and stimuli‐responsive based drug delivery by intelligent polymers responsive to pH, redox potential, enzymes, and temperature for precision therapy. Moreover, coupling polymer‐based nanomaterials with emerging therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy, immunotherapy, and synergistic drug delivery, has broadened the clinical application of these materials. Scalable synthesis, green polymer processing, and regulatory compliant design are also addressed as clinical translation gains more importance. Nevertheless, obstacles like long‐term safety, biodistribution/reproducibility, and large‐scale manufacturing prevent the exploitation of these effective treatment tools to rush human trials. Generally, the polymer‐based nanomaterials are a promising and dynamic solution for futuristic drug delivery and therapy in the next generation; it also provokes a new processing to improve the therapeutic response as well as patient‐based treatment.