Nanobiotechnology-Based Strategies for Crossing the Blood–Brain Barrier

Authors and Disclosures

Kewal K Jain

PharmaBiotech, Blaesiring 7, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland.

Financial & competing interests disclosure
The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Correspondence
Tel.: +4161 692 44 61 jain@pharmabiotech.ch

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Executive Summary

• The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a significant obstacle to therapeutic delivery for CNS disorders. Among various strategies, nanobiotechnology plays an important role in facilitating drug delivery across the BBB.

• Desirable characteristics of the ideal method of therapeutic delivery across the BBB are described in this article. It should enable controlled and targeted drug delivery without damaging the BBB.

• Several nanoparticles (NPs) have been used for crossing the BBB. Among these, polymeric NPs are the most promising.

• Nanobiotechnology-based strategies for crossing the BBB include NPs for enhancing monoclonal antibody delivery across the BBB by the Trojan horse approach, use of peptide–NP conjugates and two commercial technologies: LipoBridge™ and G-Technology ®. Exosomes can be used for the delivery of siRNA into the brain.

• An important area of application is nanobiotechnology-based delivery of therapy for brain tumors across the BBB, including NP formulations of chemotherapeutics and gene transfer. NPs enable the combination of imaging and therapy of brain tumors.

• Limitations of nanobiotechnology-based drug delivery across the BBB include inadequate amounts of the drug being delivered and potential neurotoxicity. These are being resolved by further investigations.

• Development of safe and effective methods of nanobiotechnology-based delivery of therapeutics for CNS disorders is anticipated in the next 5–10 years.