Overcoming transport barriers to immunotherapy

Drug Deliv Transl Res. 2021 Dec;11(6):2273-2275. doi: 10.1007/s13346-021-01084-4. Epub 2021 Oct 30.

Abstract

Immunotherapies are designed to treat disease by modulating the activity of immune cells. Here, we consider how anatomy and microphysiology create transport barriers to immunotherapeutic delivery and retention at diseased sites, and summarize recent developments to overcome these barriers by exploiting immunobiology to engineer molecular and cellular engineering approaches. Creating impactful and practical solutions across these diseases requires the integration of the collective expertise of pathologists, clinicians, immunologists, biophysicists, immunoengineers, and more.

Keywords: Cellular engineering; Drug delivery; Immunoengineering; Immunotherapy; Molecular engineering; Pharmacodynamics; Pharmacokinetics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Immunotherapy*