Design and development of molecularly imprinted biodegradable polymers for nanomedicine

Abstract

Polymer-based drug delivery systems have been extensively studied for decades. These systems must be degradable, capable of controlling drug release kinetics, and of reaching a precise target organ. While degradability is an intrinsic property of the material, controlled and targeted drug delivery is achieved with proper system design. The Molecular Imprinting technique can be used successfully to control the drug release kinetics and to achieve drug targeting. To date, the literature reports a very limited number of studies related to molecularly imprinted polymers for nanomedicine. The lack of applications is mainly due to the difficulties of obtain degradable materials with this technique. The present review reports a summary of the applications and characteristics of molecularly imprinted polymers, with a focus on their potential in nanomedicine. The advantages of their use and any limitations will be highlighted. Finally, the applications of the molecular imprinting technique, developed so far, to the preparation of degradable materials will be reported.