Functional biomaterials for targeted drug delivery applications

Targeted drug delivery approaches have been widely employed to regulate the absorption and biodistribution of small molecules and biologics at the targeted diseased sites to maximize therapeutic performances without affecting the healthy cells of the tissue or organ inside the body. For this purpose, it is essential to select effective biomaterial-based platforms that can release drugs in a sustained manner without altering their bioactivity and causing toxic effects in off-targeted tissues. Such biomaterials can be directly implanted/injected into the targeted diseased area of the body to enhance drug delivery efficiency. Various materials have been explored to fabricate targeted drug delivery systems. Functional biomaterials with desired physicochemical and biological properties are getting colossal attention because they can respond to their environmental cues, such as fluctuations in pH, temperature, or cell-associated enzymatic activity, and improve drug delivery integration and tissue regeneration. This chapter explores the progress of different approaches in functionalizing polymeric, metallic, and ceramic biomaterials for targeted drug delivery systems.