Innovative delivery strategies of bio-derived therapeutic agents for cardiac regeneration

Cardiovascular diseases are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide in terms of incidence and mortality, highlighting the urgent need for novel and efficient therapies for cardiac regeneration. Over the past few decades, various bio-derived therapeutic agents have been used to treat heart disease. However, all these bio-derived therapeutic agents face a common challenge: poor targeting and retention in injured cardiac tissue. Accordingly, different delivery strategies have emerged and broadened the field of cardiac regeneration. In this review, we first provide an in-depth introduction to bio-derived therapeutic agents used for cardiac repair. These agents include different types of stem cells, as well as cell-derived agents such as secretomes, extracellular vesicles, proteins, and nucleic acids. Next, we provide a systematic summary of various cardiac delivery strategies, including targeted and localized drug delivery approaches and innovative delivery routes. In addition to summarizing these techniques, we clearly explain their principles of action and functional outcomes by concrete illustrations. Finally, we offer our perspective on future directions in cardiac regeneration, regarding the development of novel therapeutics and the establishment of novel delivery routes. This comprehensive review aims to provide insight into the current state and future prospects of cardiac delivery strategies using bio-derived therapeutic agents, highlighting their promising potential in cardiac regeneration.