Clinical and commercial translation of advanced polymeric nanoparticle systems: opportunities and material challenges

Nanoparticle delivery systems are gaining traction in their clinical utility and are investigated for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs, siRNAs and other agents, and also as diagnostic and imaging applications. As research focused on improving the delivery of nanoparticles progresses, it is clear that the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles play an important role in their biological performance. Nanoparticles of various sizes, shapes, elasticities, and surface chemistries are becoming more widely used; however, this presents a number of translational challenges from a materials point of view. Specifically, as nanoparticle delivery systems become more advanced, methods for their synthesis, scale-up, and characterization need to follow suit. Furthermore, as advancements in technology allow for precise control over all nanoparticle parameters, approaches to systematically analyze the effects these parameters have on nanoparticle performance are essential. Here, we broadly highlight the material challenges associated with nanoparticle translation with specific emphasis on synthesis, scale-up, characterization, and analysis of biological performance.