Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy

Glioma therapy faces substantial challenges primarily due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), limiting effective drug penetration and reducing therapeutic efficacy. Recent advancements in novel drug delivery systems (DDS), including exosome-mediated carriers, drug conjugates,...

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Main Authors: Peipei Ma, Yongkang Li, Yingrui Gu, Hui Zeng, Hongwei Xiang, Zhenzhen Cao, Yankun Han, Yong Cui, Haixiao Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1655241/full
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author Peipei Ma
Yongkang Li
Yongkang Li
Yingrui Gu
Hui Zeng
Hongwei Xiang
Hongwei Xiang
Zhenzhen Cao
Zhenzhen Cao
Yankun Han
Yankun Han
Yong Cui
Haixiao Liu
Haixiao Liu
author_facet Peipei Ma
Yongkang Li
Yongkang Li
Yingrui Gu
Hui Zeng
Hongwei Xiang
Hongwei Xiang
Zhenzhen Cao
Zhenzhen Cao
Yankun Han
Yankun Han
Yong Cui
Haixiao Liu
Haixiao Liu
author_sort Peipei Ma
collection DOAJ
description Glioma therapy faces substantial challenges primarily due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), limiting effective drug penetration and reducing therapeutic efficacy. Recent advancements in novel drug delivery systems (DDS), including exosome-mediated carriers, drug conjugates, and ultrasound-assisted delivery, have demonstrated promising results in overcoming these limitations. Exosomes offer superior biocompatibility, efficient BBB crossing, and natural cellular targeting capabilities; drug conjugates enable highly selective drug delivery through tumor-specific ligands; and ultrasound-assisted systems transiently disrupt the BBB to permit greater drug entry. Despite encouraging preclinical and early clinical outcomes, significant translational barriers remain. Challenges such as exosome manufacturing scalability, conjugate stability, and immunogenicity, as well as the optimization of ultrasound protocols, must be thoroughly addressed to achieve clinical translation. Overcoming these hurdles requires ongoing multidisciplinary collaboration and rigorous clinical evaluation. Continued progress in refining these innovative DDS approaches holds the potential to markedly improve therapeutic outcomes and patient prognosis in glioma treatment.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Pharmacology
spelling doaj-art-c9bbf3065f004ac194a7c1f0b28a5f2a2025-08-21T05:27:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-08-011610.3389/fphar.2025.16552411655241Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapyPeipei Ma0Yongkang Li1Yongkang Li2Yingrui Gu3Hui Zeng4Hongwei Xiang5Hongwei Xiang6Zhenzhen Cao7Zhenzhen Cao8Yankun Han9Yankun Han10Yong Cui11Haixiao Liu12Haixiao Liu13Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaBasic Medical College of The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaBasic Medical College of The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaBasic Medical College of The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaBasic Medical College of The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaGlioma therapy faces substantial challenges primarily due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), limiting effective drug penetration and reducing therapeutic efficacy. Recent advancements in novel drug delivery systems (DDS), including exosome-mediated carriers, drug conjugates, and ultrasound-assisted delivery, have demonstrated promising results in overcoming these limitations. Exosomes offer superior biocompatibility, efficient BBB crossing, and natural cellular targeting capabilities; drug conjugates enable highly selective drug delivery through tumor-specific ligands; and ultrasound-assisted systems transiently disrupt the BBB to permit greater drug entry. Despite encouraging preclinical and early clinical outcomes, significant translational barriers remain. Challenges such as exosome manufacturing scalability, conjugate stability, and immunogenicity, as well as the optimization of ultrasound protocols, must be thoroughly addressed to achieve clinical translation. Overcoming these hurdles requires ongoing multidisciplinary collaboration and rigorous clinical evaluation. Continued progress in refining these innovative DDS approaches holds the potential to markedly improve therapeutic outcomes and patient prognosis in glioma treatment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1655241/fullgliomadrug delivery systemsblood-brain barrierdrug conjugatesfocused ultrasound
spellingShingle Peipei Ma
Yongkang Li
Yongkang Li
Yingrui Gu
Hui Zeng
Hongwei Xiang
Hongwei Xiang
Zhenzhen Cao
Zhenzhen Cao
Yankun Han
Yankun Han
Yong Cui
Haixiao Liu
Haixiao Liu
Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
Frontiers in Pharmacology
glioma
drug delivery systems
blood-brain barrier
drug conjugates
focused ultrasound
title Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
title_full Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
title_fullStr Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
title_full_unstemmed Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
title_short Advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
title_sort advances and challenges in novel drug delivery systems for glioma therapy
topic glioma
drug delivery systems
blood-brain barrier
drug conjugates
focused ultrasound
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1655241/full
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