Hyaluronic acid (HA) has recently been studied for its use in drug delivery applications. Medically, HA is used as a surgical aid in ophthalmology. It also possesses therapeutic potential in the treatment of arthritis and wound healing. HA-binding receptors, CD44 and receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility have attracted much enthusiasm, mainly because they are believed to be involved in cancer metastasis. This review unravels the role of HA in drug delivery and targeting. Designing of various novel drug delivery systems using HA as a biopolymer will also be reviewed in the present article.

The objective of the present study was to synthesize core–corona nanoparticles of doxorubicin (DOX) using hyaluronic acid–polyethyleneglycol–polycaprolactone (HA–PEG–PCL) copolymer for tumor targeting. Targeting efficiency of HA–PEG–PCL nanoparticles was compared with non-HA-containing nanoparticles (methoxy poly ethylene glycol (MPEG)–PCL). The copolymers were chemically synthesized and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopies. The nanoparticles were characterized for shape and morphology by transmission electron microscopy, particle size, percentage of drug entrapment, and in vitro drug release profile. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies were also performed to appraise the crystalline or amorphous nature of DOX inside the polymer matrix. Formulations were prepared using different DOX:polymer ratios (1:1–1:3 w/w) and the optimum formulation with the drug:polymer ratio of 1:1 showed the mean particle size of 95 ± 5 nm and entrapment efficiency of 95.56% in the case of HA–PEG–PCL nanoparticles, while the values were 115 nm and 95.50%, respectively, in the case of MPEG–PCL nanoparticles. The HA–PEG–PCL nanoparticles could release DOX for up to 17 days, whereas the MPEG–PCL nanoparticles could release it for up to 14 days. The hemolytic toxicity and hematological studies confirmed that both DOX-loaded HA–PEG–PCL and MPEG–PCL nanoparticles were safe and suitable for sustained and targeted drug delivery. The tissue distribution study and tumor growth inhibition were performed after intravenous injection of nanoparticles in Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT)-bearing mice. The nanoparticles of HA–PEG–PCL copolymer accomplishes efficient delivery of DOX in EAT tumor when compared with the MPEG–PCL nanoparticles by the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis, as well as enhanced permeability and retention effect.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is gaining numerous advances in manufacturing approaches both at macro- and nanoscales. Three-dimensional printing is being explored for various biomedical applications and fabrication of nanomedicines using additive manufacturing techniques, and shows promising potential in fulfilling the need for patient-centric personalized treatment. Initial reports attributed this to availability of novel natural biomaterials and precisely engineered polymeric materials, which could be fabricated into exclusive 3D printed nanomaterials for various biomedical applications as nanomedicines. Nanomedicine is defined as the application of nanotechnology in designing nanomaterials for different medicinal applications, including diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, prevention, and control of diseases. Nanomedicine is also showing great impact in the design and development of precision medicine. In contrast to the “one-size-fits-all” criterion of the conventional medicine system, personalized or precision medicines consider the differences in various traits, including pharmacokinetics and genetics of different patients, which have shown improved results over conventional treatment. In the last few years, much literature has been published on the application of 3D printing for the fabrication of nanomedicine. This article deals with progress made in the development and design of tailor-made nanomedicine using 3D printing technology.