The nanomedicine revolution: Part 1: Emerging Concepts

摘要

Nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology to medicine, is currently at an early stage but it is expected to have a revolutionary impact on health care.1 Nanomedical research is heavily supported by public policy and investment, and is progressing rapidly. The continued development of nanomedi-cines has the potential to provide numerous benefits, including improved efficacy, bioavailability, dose-response, targeting ability, personalization, and safety compared to conventional medicines.The most exciting concept in nanomedical research may be the design and development of multifunctional nanoparticle (NP) complexes that can simultaneously deliver diagnostic and therapeutic agents to targeted sites. These capabilities are unprecedented and represent tremendous progress toward improving patient diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.6 However, despite these potential benefits, essential data regarding the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity of many nanomaterials are currently lacking.