The importance of nanoparticle shape in cancer drug delivery

INTRODUCTION: Nanoparticles have been successfully used for cancer drug delivery since 1995. In the design of commercial nanoparticles, size and surface characteristics have been exploited to achieve efficacious delivery. However, the design of optimized drug delivery platforms for efficient delivery to disease sites with minimal off-target effects remains a major research goal. One crucial element of nanoparticle design influencing both pharmacokinetics and cell uptake is nanoparticle morphology (both size and shape). In this succinct review, the authors collate the recent literature to assess the current state of understanding of the influence of nanoparticle shape on the effectiveness of drug delivery with…