Alginate is a biomaterial that has demonstrated considerable potential and adaptability in the field of controlled drug delivery due to its unique physicochemical properties. Chemical modification of alginate has significantly enhanced its functionality, allowing the development of matrices with improved characteristics, such as increased affinity for hydrophobic drugs, sustained and controlled release, and improved cell and tissue adhesion. Hydrogels, microspheres, nanoparticles, and porous scaffolds are among the most extensively studied alginate-based drug delivery systems. It is estimated that over 50% of these systems have shown successful outcomes in in vitro testing, particularly in applications such as oral delivery of proteins and peptides, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and cancer therapy. Recent clinical advances involving alginate include the development of wound dressings, growth factor delivery systems, and cell-based therapies for treating degenerative diseases. Chemically modified alginate thus emerges as a highly adaptable and promising candidate for the design of advanced drug delivery systems across a wide range of biomedical applications. This review encompasses more than 100 research articles and aims to provide an updated overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the use of chemically modified alginate-based hydrogel systems in drug delivery.
Román‐Guerrero et al. (2025) studied this question.