Liposomes, the curious little spherical vesicles that closely resemble the structure of cell membranes, have been attracting a lot of attention in recent times. Known for their applications in the field of medical nanotechnology, these have been a subject of research since these were first discovered in the 1960s. Since then, scientists have found new ways to use these to develop robust and powerful drug delivery systems. The new mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines are the fine examples of modern drug delivery systems that use lipid nanotechnology to reach their target cellular sites.
A subject of research for several years now, liposomal nanotechnology has been used to successfully develop stable and reliable novel drug delivery systems (NDDS). These NDDS have proved to be beneficial with applications across various medical therapies ranging from HIV to cancer to COVID-19 treatment.
Decoding liposomes
Liposomes are very tiny nanoparticles that measure usually up to 100-300 nm in diameter. These are formed spontaneously when certain phospholipids are hydrated with water. Due to their nature, both water and fat-soluble active ingredients can be loaded onto these. These spherical liposome bubbles can be used to trap and stabilise a variety of compounds used in medications and ensure their safe passage through the body till these reach a specific target site. That’s how these become ideal transport vehicles for drugs in targeted therapies like cancer or HIV.
These structures can deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds used in anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, immune-modulation, diagnostics, ophthalmic, vaccines, enzymes and genetic elements.
What makes these superior NDDS?
Liposomes are considered as one of the most efficient nanosystems with several approved formulations for disease treatment. The two important advantages of liposomes in drug delivery are biocompatibility and biodegradability, both of which are due to their lipid characteristics. These liposomal nanosystems also have other properties like smaller size, hydrophobic and hydrophilic character, low toxicity and immunogenicity, lower clearance rates and controlled release of drugs. Due to these properties, liposomes provide an established basis for the sustainable development of different products for the treatment of medical diseases by the smart delivery of drugs.
Today, liposomal nanosystems are being used in the medical industry as drug delivery vehicles in medicine, adjuvants in vaccination, signal enhancers/carriers in medical diagnostics and analytical biochemistry, solubilisers as well as support matrices for various ingredients.
Clinical usages of these systems cover diagnostic, therapeutic and vaccine improvement. Drug and gene delivery are two therapeutic aspects in which liposomes can be effective due to their specific properties. The involvement of liposomes in the treatment of various diseases like HIV, cancer, and in recent times, COVID-19, to name a few, has been investigated with satisfactory results.
Application in HIV therapy
Studies have shown that nanotechnology-based liposomal drug-delivery systems can improve anti-retroviral therapy (ARV) by controlling drug concentrations in target cells. As liposomes are naturally taken up by cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS), the therapy offers a convenient approach to improve the delivery of anti-HIV agents into infected cells. This can improve the efficacy of drugs and reduce their adverse side effects. HIV-infected cells could also be specifically targetted by using liposomes bearing surface-attached antibodies.
Tailor-made liposomes are biocompatible with the cell membrane and can also specifically target mononuclear phagocyte systems with a variety of drugs. These also help reduce the dose and frequency of dosing. Overall, the therapy offers a potential for improved quality of
life for HIV-positive ...
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