Biomimetic drug delivery for anticancer: Focusing on the relationship between drugs and biomimetic carriers

Biomimetic carriers utilizing cells and cellular components revolutionize the field of anticancer drug delivery systems. Existing reviews in this field have predominantly approached biomimetic drug delivery systems by focusing on either the carrier or the payload. However, recognizing the intrinsic inseparability of the drug and the biomimetic carrier is imperative, as their mutual influences decisively shape the drug delivery system. This review delineated the recent progress in biomimetic carriers for antitumor therapeutics from a distinct perspective, concentrating on the relationship between the drug and the carrier. The relationship involves drug-loading mode, the loading position, and the mechanism of drug-release strategies. This review highlighted the crucial roles of drug loading morphologies and loading positions in enhancing the efficiency of carrier delivery and overcoming barriers to cancer treatment. Additionally, innovative strategies for controlled drug release from biomimetic carriers were summarized, and an extensive discussion on the future prospects and potential challenges in this field was provided.