Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are tiny, engineered particles made up of lipids (fatty molecules) that are used to deliver therapeutic substances into cells. They are a key technology in the field of drug delivery and nanomedicine, offering a versatile platform for the encapsulation and transport of various types of therapeutic agents, including nucleic acids (like mRNA and siRNA), proteins, and small-molecule drugs.
The structure of an LNP typically includes a lipid bilayer or a solid lipid core that encapsulates the therapeutic payload, protecting it from degradation in the body and enhancing its delivery to the target cells or tissues. LNPs are designed to be biocompatible and can be tailored with specific lipid compositions to optimize their size, charge, and surface properties. This customization allows for improved circulation time in the bloodstream, targeted delivery to specific tissues or cells, and controlled release of the therapeutic agent.
One of the most prominent applications of LNPs has been in the development of mRNA-based vaccines, such as those for COVID-19. In this context, LNPs encapsulate and protect the mRNA from degradation while facilitating its efficient delivery into cells. Once inside the cells, the mRNA is used as a template to produce the viral proteins that trigger an immune response, thereby providing immunity against the virus.
LNPs offer several advantages, including the ability to deliver both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, the potential for targeted delivery to reduce side effects, and the capacity to cross biological barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier. Their development and use in therapeutics continue to expand, with ongoing research focused on improving their design, efficacy, and safety for a wide range of medical applications.
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What are lipid nanoparticles? How are they structured? How are they formed? What techniques are best to characterize them? How great is their potential as drug delivery systems? These questions and more are answered in this comprehensive and highly readable work on lipid nanoparticles. This work sets out to provide the reader with a clear and understandable understanding of the current practices in formulation, characterization and drug delivery of lipid nanoparticles.
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